[Hospital admissions due to whooping cough: experience of the del niño hospital in Panama. Period 2001-2008]

Abstract

Introduction: Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough) is a worldwide public health problem. It is estimated that there are about 20 to 40 million cases with 200,000-400,000 deaths and is increasing in infants and adults.

Materials and methods: An observational, retrospective study was made. We reviewed the epidemiologic surveillance notification forms from 2001 to 2008 period at the Epidemiology Department of Hospital Del Niño, a tertiary paediatric reference centre in Panama City. All pertussis (whooping cough) cases confirmed by PCR and cultures were selected.

Results: From a total of 759 notifications of suspected whooping cough cases, 180 confirmed cases using PCR and culture were analyzed for this study. The admission rate in all ages was 14.4/10,000 admissions, predominantly in < or =3 months with 42.76/10,000 admissions and which accounted for 75% of the cases. Cough was the most important symptom (91%). Cyanosis, leucocytosis and lymphocytosis were the most characteristic clinical findings when comparing positive pertussis with negative. More than two thirds of the subjects less than 3 months of age had not been vaccinated at the time of admission. The death rate was 8.3%, more than half of them in subjects less than 1 month of age.

Conclusions: Whooping cough is an important public health problem. Post-partum vaccination could be a strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality in infants less than 3 months of age.