Pertussis in Other Countries

Key points

  • Pertussis remains one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths worldwide.
  • Pertussis rates are highest among young children in countries that have lower vaccination coverage.
This 2000 image depicted a group of Indian children gathered together in their village located in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Global impact

Pertussis remains one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths worldwide, despite overall high vaccination coverage.

Most pertussis deaths occur in young babies who are either unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated.

Trends

In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 151,074 pertussis cases globally. Based on 2008 data WHO estimated that there were 89,000 deaths.

A 2014 publication estimated 24.1 million pertussis cases and 160,700 deaths in children younger than 5 years worldwide.

For international travel‎

Read the CDC Yellow Book for current travel health guidelines.
Read the Pertussis Chapter

Low vaccination coverage

The incidence of pertussis is highest among young children in countries where vaccination coverage is low, primarily in the developing world.

In developed countries, the incidence of pertussis is highest among unvaccinated babies and increases again among teens.

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Content Source:
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Division of Bacterial Diseases