US Infant Pertussis Incidence Trends Before and After Implementation of the Maternal Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Vaccine

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

Importance Infants younger than 1 year have the highest burden of pertussis morbidity and mortality. In 2011, the US introduced tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination during pregnancy to protect infants before vaccinations begin. Objective To assess the association of maternal Tdap vaccination during pregnancy with the incidence of pertussis among infants in the US. Design, Setting, and Participants In this ecologic study, a time-trend analysis was performed of infant pertussis cases reported through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2019, in the US. Statistical analysis was performed from April 1, 2020, to October 31, 2022. Exposures Maternal Tdap vaccination during pregnancy. Main Outcomes and Measures Pertussis incidence rates were calculated and compared between 2 periods—the pre–maternal Tdap vaccination period (2000-2010) and the post–maternal Tdap vaccination period (2012-2019)—for 2 age groups: infants younger than 2 months (target group of maternal vaccination) and infants aged 6 months to less than 12 months (comparison group). Incidence rate differences between the 2 age groups were modeled using weighted segmented linear regression. The slope difference between the 2 periods was estimated to assess the association of maternal Tdap vaccination with pertussis incidence among infants. Results A total of 57 460 pertussis cases were reported in infants younger than 1 year between 2000 and 2019; 19 322 cases (33.6%) were in infants younger than 2 months. During the pre–maternal Tdap vaccination period, annual pertussis incidence did not change among infants younger than 2 months (slope, 3.29 per 100 000 infants per year; P = .28) but increased slightly among infants aged 6 months to less than 12 months (slope, 2.10 per 100 000 infants per year; P = .01). There was no change in the difference in incidence between the 2 age groups (slope, 0.08 per 100 000 infants per year; P = .97) during the pre–maternal Tdap vaccination period overall. However, in the post–maternal Tdap vaccination period, incidence decreased among infants younger than 2 months (slope, −14.53 per 100 000 infants per year; P = .001) while remaining unchanged among infants aged 6 months to less than 12 months (slope, 1.42 per 100 000 infants per year; P = .29). The incidence rate difference between the 2 age groups significantly decreased during the post–maternal Tdap vaccination period (slope, −14.43 per 100 000 infants per year; P &amp;lt; .001). Pertussis incidence rate differences were significantly different between the pre–maternal and post–maternal Tdap vaccination periods (slope difference, −14.51 per 100 000 infants per year; P = .01). Conclusions and Relevance In this study, following maternal Tdap vaccine introduction, a sustained decrease in pertussis incidence was observed among infants younger than 2 months, narrowing the incidence gap with infants aged 6 months to less than 12 months. These findings suggest that maternal Tdap vaccination is associated with a reduction in pertussis burden in the target age group (&amp;lt;2 months) and that further increases in coverage may be associated with additional reductions in infant disease.