關(guān)鍵詞: 百日咳 英國
2012年12月24日訊 /生物谷BIOON/ --根據(jù)衛(wèi)生組織的報告,在11月份里,英格蘭和威爾士地區(qū)的百日咳發(fā)病率仍然較高,。根據(jù)統(tǒng)計在11月份共有1080起確診病例,,相對于十月份的1631起,,略有下降,。但這種好轉(zhuǎn)可能更多地是因為季節(jié)因素。
百日咳是一種細菌性傳染病,,主要通過空氣傳播,。嬰幼兒有較高可能得這種疾病,并有致死可能性,。從2004年起開始,,為了保護新生兒,一般孕婦要接種一種名為Repevax的百日咳疫苗,。
今年這次百日咳的爆發(fā)已經(jīng)席卷了英國全境,,專家稱原因主要在于疫苗的免疫作用減弱。
今年,,類似的百日咳疫情在美國同樣出現(xiàn),。(生物谷Bioon.com)
詳細英文報道:
Cases of whooping cough in England and Wales have remained high through November, says the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
New figures released by the agency on Friday show 1,080 confirmed cases for November, down from October's 1,631, bringing the total so far for 2012 to 8,819, the highest for any year since the 1990s. No deaths were reported for November, says the agency, who at the end of October said 13 infants had died in the current outbreak which began in the middle of 2011.
Although the slight fall in cases from October to November is the first downturn in the current outbreak, it does not necessarily mean it is coming to an end, as Gayatri Amirthalingam, HPA's consultant epidemiologist for immunisation, explains:
"The November figures show a welcome decrease of whooping cough cases since October. However, it is very important to note that we usually see a reduction in cases of whooping cough at this time of year so this decrease is in line with normal seasonal patterns."
Whooping Cough
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airways. The illness can last for three months.
The first signs of infection are usually a dry and irritating cough. This progresses to intense bouts of coughing followed by a "whooping" noise, which is how the illness got its name.
Other symptoms include raised temperature, runny nose, and vomiting after coughing.
Although whooping cough affects all ages, young babies are most at risk. Until they complete their vaccination around four months old, they are the ones most likely to have severe complications that can lead to death.
Older children and adults who get whooping cough usually get mild, unpleasant symptoms that rarely lead to complications.
Nevertheless, whooping cough is highly infectious. When infected people cough, they shed bacteria that can then be inhaled by others.
Vaccination for Pregnant Women
In order to protect newborn babies, who do not start receiving the whooping cough vaccine until they are two months old, the Department of Health is offering pregnant women the whooping cough vaccination. They announced this at the end of September.
The vaccine being offered to pregnant women is called Repevax, which has been used to immunize children in the UK since 2004.
The aim of the campaign is to boost the short term immunity mothers pass on to their babies while they are still in the womb.
Although it is too early to see if this is having an effect on the current figures, the Department of Health recently reported a take up rate of around 40% in pregnant women.
While encouraged by the take up rate, Amirthalingam urges:
"We would like to remind pregnant women how serious this infection can be in young babies and how it can in some cases cause death. Vaccination between 28 and 38 weeks of pregnancy should offer babies the best protection against whooping cough before they receive their own vaccines."