Pertussis incidence in the Netherlands after introduction of an acellular booster vaccination at 4 years of age

Publié le 1 janvier 2004
Mis à jour le 6 septembre 2019

In 1996-1997 different surveillance sources revealed an outbreak of pertussis, mostly in vaccinated children, in the Netherlands. In the following years the incidence of pertussis remained higher than in the period before 1996 and in 1999 another peak was observed. The high incidence of pertussis resulted in the introduction of a booster vaccination after recommendations from the Gezondheidsraad (Dutch Health Council) with an acellular vaccine containing pertussis toxin, pertactin and filamentous haemagglutinin for 4 year olds in the national vaccination programme from October 2001 onwards (details of the Dutch vaccination programme are available, in Dutch, at http://www.rivm.nl/rvp/). The Gezondheidsraad has advised on measures to be taken to improve pertussis vaccination in the Netherlands. The council recommended the transition, as soon as possible, to the use of an acellular vaccine for immunisation in the first year of life. In agreement with the advice, the minister of health has decided to replace the whole cell vaccine by the acellular vaccine in the national immunisation programme from January 2005 onwards.

Auteur : de Greeff S, Schellekens JF, Mooi F, de Melker H
Eurosurveillance, 2004, vol. 8, n°. 27