A comparison of two pertussis epidemics in Auckland
Grant, C.C.; Tan, D.; Pati, A.; Watson, P.; Lennon, D.R.; Scragg, R.
New Zealand Medical Journal 110(1044): 182-184
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-8446 PMID: 9201203 Document Number: 483036
Aim. To determine if the addition of the 6 week dose of pertussis vaccine in 1984 was associated with any change in the hospitalization rate for children with pertussis and the higher hospitalization rates for Maori and Pacific Islander children with pertussis. Methods. Design: Population based study of pertussis hospitalizations using a retrospective chart review of hospitalization data for children during the 1991 epidemic, which was compared to previously published data from the 1982 epidemic. Setting: Princess Mary and Middlemore hospitals, Auckland. Subjects: Children aged 0-14 years resident in metropolitan Auckland and hospitalised in Auckland during 1982 or 1991 with pertussis. Measurements: Hospitalization rates were calculated as number of children with a discharge diagnosis of pertussis per 1000 children aged 0-14 years based on 1981 and 1991 census data. 1982 data were converted to person-years as published report was for an 8 month period. Hospitalization rates were compared as a relative risk (RR) of hospitalization in 1991 versus 1982. Results. There were 84 cases during 8 months in 1982 and 66 cases in 1991. Rates of hospitalization by ethnic group; in 1982 were 0.24 Other/European (OE), 1.98 Maori (M), 1.37 Pacific Islander (PI); and in 1991 were 0.22 OE, 0.51 M, 0.40 PI. Compared to 1982 the relative risk of hospitalization in 1991 adjusted for ethnicity was 0.43 (CI 0.33, 0.58, p lt 0.0001). Compared to 1982 there was a significant reduction in the hospitalization rate in 1991 for M (RR = 0.26, CI 0.16, 0.43, p lt 0.0001); and PI children (RR = 0.29, CI 0.16, 0.54, p lt 0.0001); but not for OE children (RR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.57, 1.46, p=0.70). Conclusions. There was a significant reduction in the rate of hospitalization for pertussis in 1991 compared to 1982. This reduction in hospitalization rate was due to a reduction in rates for Maori and Pacific Islander children.