CDC: New whooping cough vaccine advice

ATLANTA, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Federal health officials recommend U.S. adolescents and adults get the tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine.

Thursday's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report says to boost immunity against pertussis -- whooping cough -- all adolescents and adults are recommended to receive a one-time dose of the Tdap vaccine.

In October the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which provides guidance on effective control of vaccine-preventable diseases for the U.S. civilian population, recommended three expanded uses of Tdap: Tdap may be given regardless of time since a person's last tetanus- or diphtheria-containing vaccine; adults age 65 and older such as grandparents, child-care providers and healthcare practitioners who have close contact with an infant should receive a single dose of Tdap; and children ages 7-10 who are not fully vaccinated against pertussis should receive a single dose of Tdap.

From Jan. 1, 2010, through Dec. 31, 2010, 8,383 cases of confirmed pertussis including 10 infant deaths were reported throughout California -- the most cases reported in 63 years when 9,934 cases were reported in 1947 and the highest incidence in 52 years when a rate of 26 cases/100,000 was reported in 1958. California has had the most cases, but pertussis has spread to many states and is very contagious.