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Whooping Cough Statistics

In the case of whooping cough, statistics show that an increasing number of cases of the illness have been reported to the CDC since the 1980s. The increases are greatest among adolescents (aged 10-19 years) and infants younger than 5 months old. Even with the increase in reports among these age groups, however, the number of reported cases is still more than 97 percent lower than in the pre-vaccine era. Other whooping cough statistics indicate that, in 2004, approximately 60 percent of cases of the disease occurred among people 11 years of age and older.

 

Whooping Cough Statistics: Prior to the Vaccine

Before the availability of the pertussis vaccine, whooping cough (also known as pertussis) was a common cause of complications and deaths among children. During the 6-year period from 1940 through 1945, more than 1 million cases of whooping cough were reported, an average of 175,000 cases per year (incidence of approximately 150 cases per 100,000 population).
 

Whooping Cough Statistics: After the Vaccine

Following the introduction of the pertussis vaccine in the 1940s, whooping cough incidence gradually declined, reaching 15,000 reported cases in 1960 (approximately 8 per 100,000 population). By 1970, annual incidence was fewer than 5,000 cases per year, and during 1980-1990, an average of 2,900 cases per year were reported (about 1 per 100,000 population).
 

Whooping Cough Statistics: Since the 1980s

An increasing number of cases of whooping cough have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since the 1980s. The increases are greatest among adolescents (aged 10-19 years), but an increase is also seen among infants younger than 5 months old. The reported increases may reflect greater awareness of whooping cough to some degree. Even with the increase in reports among adolescents and very young infants, the number of reported cases is more than 97 percent lower than in the pre-vaccine era.
 
A total of 25,827 cases were reported in 2004, the largest number since 1959.
 
(Whooping Cough Statistics Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD