2024-09-02 08:00:00
Whooping cough, also known as “whooping cough,” continues to be prevalent in Canada, particularly in Quebec. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) says more than 12,000 cases have been recorded since January. That’s far more than the 500 to 4,500 infections reported across the country each year, she added in an interview with CBC News.
The increase in cases has mainly affected Quebec and Ontario, although several other provinces have seen higher-than-usual case numbers in recent months.
We can see in the PHAC press release that the number of cases observed in Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador in 2024 exceeds the peaks recorded in previous years of the pandemic.
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Quebec and Ontario are particularly affected by an increase in whooping cough cases.
Photo: Radio-Canada
Once pandemic restrictions are lifted, bacterial infections of all kinds are making a comeback. Influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and a type of bacterial pneumonia are all re-emerging in larger waves or at unusual times, sometimes overwhelming hospitals in Canada and elsewhere.
convergence of factors
Similar trends are occurring in the United States and across Europe. Cases of the disease, caused by bacteria, are rising globally Bordetella pertussis This can be explained by a variety of factors.
Dr. May ElSherif, associate director of the Canadian Center for Vaccinology in Halifax, said the resurgence of whooping cough is not surprising given its cyclical nature. What is surprising is its breadth and scale [de cette résurgence]”, adds the clinician-researcher.
She also noted that immunity from the vaccine or previous whooping cough infection is not lifelong, adding that the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic reduces overall immunity from natural exposure. Misinformation about vaccines circulating online has also increased vaccine hesitancy.
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Whooping cough vaccine (file photo)
Photo: Reuters/Lucy Nickerson
However, it should be noted that the usual vaccination program has been severely disrupted, requiring years of catch-up.
For example, globally, uptake of the Tdap vaccine (in three doses) against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis increased from approximately 86% in 2019 to 83% in 2020. The foundation estimates that this means that 22.7 million children worldwide are not vaccinated.
Where did the name whooping cough come from?
After a coughing fit (a prolonged, uncontrollable coughing episode), an infected person may make a sound similar to a rooster’s crow when they inhale. That’s why the disease is called whooping cough. After 7 to 14 days, the cough may become stronger and more frequent.
The person may also gasp or stop breathing for a moment.
periodic infections
Whooping cough spreads more in some years than others. Dr. Anna Banerjee, a pediatric infectious disease specialist, noted that localized outbreaks of whooping cough are not uncommon.
Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert and a researcher at the institute, said the rapid evolution of certain pathogens and immune patterns in populations explain the tendency for whooping cough to wax and wane in cycles of three to five years. Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
The latter emphasizes that people at risk are simply providing the fuel for germs to cause epidemics.
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Whooping cough is a bacterial infection, not a virus, and can be treated with antibiotics. (Archived photo)
Photo: Radio-Canada/Lauren Pelley
a potentially fatal disease
Whooping cough is highly contagious and can lead to serious infections such as pneumonia (the most common cause of death), brain damage, and even death. According to the Quebec government, 95% of deaths related to this infection occur in newborns younger than 3 months old.
Health Canada’s website indicates that death rates in industrialized countries remain low, especially among adults. However, whooping cough affects one in 1,000 unprotected children, the most vulnerable group in the country.
The Government of Quebec recalls that vaccination during pregnancy and at 2, 4 and 12 months of age is the best way to protect young children against whooping cough.
Dr. Jesse Papenburg, a clinician and researcher at the Montreal Children’s Hospital at McGill University Health Centre, noted that young children are more susceptible to infection, especially because they are not yet protected against this respiratory infection.
In adults, although symptoms are usually mild, some people cough so violently that they can cause rib fractures.
According to estimates by the World Health Organization, whooping cough is particularly prevalent in developing countries, with 95% of global whooping cough cases occurring in these countries.
Report adapted from Lauren Paley (new window) cbc news
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