Whooping Cough in the United States and Britain

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
To the Editor: The recent epidemics of whooping cough in the United Kingdom have demonstrated that a decline in vaccine coverage in a population that was previously widely vaccinated can result in such epidemics.1 Contrary to the assertions of Dr. Stewart (Feb. 24 issue),2 the recent trends in British notifications of whooping cough and general-practitioner consultations have been mirrored by trends in laboratory reports of Bordetella pertussis, confirming that the outbreaks of 1977–1978 and 1981–1982 were indeed outbreaks of pertussis. The time lag between an increase in notifications and consultations and an increase in laboratory reports was not due . . .