Modern approaches to pertussis vaccination

Pertussis is an acute respiratory disease caused by Gram-negative bacteria Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is highly contagious for all age groups; however, it primarily affects children under the age of one year. Despite decades of high vaccine coverage, pertussis has currently resurged, with a rising prevalence in adolescents and adults. This study aimed to assess possible causes of increased incidence of pertussis and the efficacy of existing strategies for preventing its resurgence and spreading. Furthermore, the work examined promising areas of pertussis immunoprophylaxis in the current setting. The study identified the main causes of increased incidence of pertussis and changes in the incidence pattern. These include insufficient efficacy of available immunobiologicals for pertussis prevention, rapid decline in acquired immunity (primarily due to incorrect vaccination schedule), increased prevalence of atypical forms of pertussis, and the emergence of new pathogen strains with higher resistance to existing vaccines. Improving specific pertussis immunoprophylaxis necessitates a broader vaccine coverage to include women in the third trimester of pregnancy, families with children (especially young ones), those who work with children, and healthcare professionals. Reimmunization in older individuals (>65 years old) must be performed every 10 years. Furthermore, innovative pertussis vaccines are required. Molecular biology techniques and a thorough assessment of the disadvantages of existing vaccines are essential for developing new drugs that are effective against modified strains. Moreover, selecting and using vaccine adjuvants that activate both innate and acquired immunity is crucial for developing new vaccines. These strategies will provide more effective control over this vaccine-preventable disease and prevent its resurgence.