CDC Commentary: With Pertussis on the Rise, Who Needs a Tdap Vaccination?

CDC Commentary: With Pertussis on the Rise, Who Needs a Tdap Vaccination?

As part of CDC's Expert Commentary Series on Medscape, Stacey Martin, an
epidemiologist in the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, explains who should get a Tdap vaccination and the opportunity to protect patients against pertussis. Despite the use of pertussis-containing childhood vaccines, cases of pertussis have been on the rise in many communities nationwide, with an increasing burden of disease reported among adolescents and adults, who are often the source of infection for infants too young to be vaccinated. In 2008, there were over 13,000 cases and 20 deaths reported to CDC.

> To view this commentary, please visit http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/724242.

> To preview the entire CDC Expert Commentary Series, visit http://www.medscape.com/partners/cdc/public/cdc-commentary.

> To learn how to recognize and treat pertussis, please visit http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/713708.

> To review recommendations and guidelines for the 2010 child and adolescent immunization schedules, visit http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm.