Tainted Vaccine not behind Whooping Cough Return

Whooping cough has been seen to make a comeback within the American population in the last few years, and a section of people have blamed this resurgence on the vaccine used to prevent this infection.

However, the latest study conducted regarding this matter has proven this theory to be wrong, and the shortcoming of this particular counteractant is not the main cause of the recent spread experienced. The results of the study were published on the Science Translational Medicine website, and claims the change from whole cell to combined cellular properties did not lead to increased risk of infection.

What is behind this new Spread? 

The study conducted revealed that the recent anti-vaccination movement spreading across the country has led to fewer children getting vaccinated resulting in increased cases of infection. The population’s natural turnover has also played a role in this conundrum as newer members of society might not have been subjected to this particular remedy. The level of protection offered by the vaccine has also decreased in the past few years serving to enhance the problem.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis has experienced a level of growth over the years, with a remarkable jump experienced in 2003 when the infection rates surpassed 10, 000 people for the first time in 40 years. Five shots are recommended for children before the age of seven, with a booster shot added at around 11 years old. Aaron King, PhD noted that a small number of people have shown signs of being liable to infection after the vaccine, but this number is so small that it cannot be said to hold any significant value towards the results of their research.

What is the Answer to this problem? 

Three main segments were studied regarding the emergence of higher infection rates within the population, namely, primary failure of the vaccine, failure of the vaccine over time as a result of its waning effect, and a reduction in the degree of protection offered by this solution. It was discovered that one of the main reasons behind this recent spread was due to the waning effectiveness of a less than perfect vaccination that was characterized by reduced immunity levels over time. It also noted that those who had acquired a natural immunity to the infection had decreased in number, leading to high risks experienced by the remaining public.

Schoolchildren represented a core transmission group in this sector, and thus it has been suggested that the most effective way of battling this new spread is through targeting this particular division with the vaccine. The remedy offers an immunity that can last for over a decade in 90% of its users, and an entire lifetime for over half of the people who take it.

It has also been suggested that efforts to curtail the spread of this problem will be more successful if the younger generations are targeted as the main beneficiaries of this vaccine, rather than the adult population at hand. This is due to the fact that future generations represent a longer lasting effect concerning whooping cough immunity.