IMPACT OF ANTI-VACCINE MOVEMENTS ON PERTUSSIS CONTROL - THE UNTOLD STORY

To assess the impact of anti-vaccine movements that targeted pertussis whole-cell vaccines, we compared pertussis incidence in countries whe re high coverage with diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccines (DTP) was maintained (Hungary, the former East Germany, Poland, and the USA) wit h countries where immunisation was disrupted by anti-vaccine movements (Sweden, Japan, Uh, The Russian Federation, Ireland, Italy, the forme r West Germany, and Australia). Pertussis incidence was 10 to 100 time s lower in countries where high vaccine coverage was maintained than i n countries where immunisation programs were compromised by anti-vacci ne movements. Comparisons of neighbouring countries with high and low vaccine coverage further underscore the efficacy of these vaccines. Gi ven the safety and cost-effectiveness of whole-cell pertussis vaccines , our study shows that, far from being obsolete, these vaccines contin ue to have an important role in global immunisation.