Cases:
Cases are prioritised on the basis of risk and high priority follow-up is given to NAT or culture confirmed cases. If the case is a child under 5, younger cases are given priority over older cases. The next priority is given to cases that are women in their last month of pregnancy, followed by cases that are considered likely or known to have contact with high-risk people. (1) Background information on cases is ascertained from the treating doctor and/or by interviewing cases to determine; onset of symptoms, last vaccination date, current health status and potential exposures. It is also important to ask about movement during the infectious period to facilitate contact tracing. Education is to be provided by the treating doctor or PHO …show more content…
(3, 4) Targeted vaccination is key to controlling the outbreak and potentially preventing future similar scenarios. As discussed, adults and adolescents are common reservoir for infection. (1) Previous studies have found that household members, especially parents, are a primary source in approximately 76-83% of infant cases. (15) Cocooning is recommended in Australia and involves vaccinating household contacts with an infant less than 6 months. It will also be important to encourage families to undertake cocooning and the medical community in NSW to endorse this strategy and recommend it to parents. (1, 15, …show more content…
(17) This is based on evidence that demonstrates post-vaccination there is a transplacental transfer of maternal antibodies that can sufficiently protect the newborn until they can be vaccinated. (15, 16, 18) This program also utilises ObstetriX, an integrated obstetric database used to store clinical information on the mother and infant through till delivery. It includes questions about pertussis vaccination that prompts health professionals to discuss vaccination with the mother. (17) It will be imperative to promote the antenatal vaccination program to health professionals, as well as pregnant contacts, to encourage vaccination during pregnancy or immediately post-partum in order to protect newborn infants from B. pertussis. (15, 17)
Furthermore, in past cases, healthcare works have been a source of transmission for B. pertussis. Therefore it is essential to ensure all hospital staff, paediatric and maternity ward staff in particular, have had a dTpa booster within the last 10 years to prevent staff to patient transmission. Currently, there is a statewide mandate for hospital staff to be vaccinated and it includes pertussis vaccination. However, it would be beneficial to prompt staff to check their vaccination status due to waning immunity of the dTpa vaccine. (5,
Cases are prioritised on the basis of risk and high priority follow-up is given to NAT or culture confirmed cases. If the case is a child under 5, younger cases are given priority over older cases. The next priority is given to cases that are women in their last month of pregnancy, followed by cases that are considered likely or known to have contact with high-risk people. (1) Background information on cases is ascertained from the treating doctor and/or by interviewing cases to determine; onset of symptoms, last vaccination date, current health status and potential exposures. It is also important to ask about movement during the infectious period to facilitate contact tracing. Education is to be provided by the treating doctor or PHO …show more content…
(3, 4) Targeted vaccination is key to controlling the outbreak and potentially preventing future similar scenarios. As discussed, adults and adolescents are common reservoir for infection. (1) Previous studies have found that household members, especially parents, are a primary source in approximately 76-83% of infant cases. (15) Cocooning is recommended in Australia and involves vaccinating household contacts with an infant less than 6 months. It will also be important to encourage families to undertake cocooning and the medical community in NSW to endorse this strategy and recommend it to parents. (1, 15, …show more content…
(17) This is based on evidence that demonstrates post-vaccination there is a transplacental transfer of maternal antibodies that can sufficiently protect the newborn until they can be vaccinated. (15, 16, 18) This program also utilises ObstetriX, an integrated obstetric database used to store clinical information on the mother and infant through till delivery. It includes questions about pertussis vaccination that prompts health professionals to discuss vaccination with the mother. (17) It will be imperative to promote the antenatal vaccination program to health professionals, as well as pregnant contacts, to encourage vaccination during pregnancy or immediately post-partum in order to protect newborn infants from B. pertussis. (15, 17)
Furthermore, in past cases, healthcare works have been a source of transmission for B. pertussis. Therefore it is essential to ensure all hospital staff, paediatric and maternity ward staff in particular, have had a dTpa booster within the last 10 years to prevent staff to patient transmission. Currently, there is a statewide mandate for hospital staff to be vaccinated and it includes pertussis vaccination. However, it would be beneficial to prompt staff to check their vaccination status due to waning immunity of the dTpa vaccine. (5,