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COVID-19 Pandemic Leads to Sharp Decline in Global Adult Pertussis Incidence Rate

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

According to researchers at Xiamen University, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant decline in the global adult pertussis incidence rate. Despite the high coverage of childhood vaccination, pertussis remains a significant global health challenge, with increasing adult cases attributed to waning immunity and enhanced diagnostic capability. The study quantified the global burden of pertussis in adults from 1990 to 2021 and evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on disease trends.

Key Takeaways:

  • The global incidence rate of adult pertussis declined from 17.44 per 100,000 population in 1990 to 2.70 per 100,000 by 2021, a reduction of 84.5%.
  • The burden of pertussis was consistently highest in low Socio-demographic Index (SDI) countries, where the 2019 incidence rate was over four times that of high SDI countries (18.59 vs. 3.96 per 100,000).
  • The COVID-19 pandemic led to a 58.41% reduction in incidence and a 50.34% decrease in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) globally.
  • The incidence numbers increased in low SDI countries [AAPC: 0.63%; 95% confidence interval: 0.36%, 0.91%] and in older adults (AAPC 0) between 1990 and 2019, despite falling incidence rates.
  • A resurgence of adult pertussis was observed from 2009 to 2019, particularly in low-income regions and specific age groups, underscoring the persistent challenges.
  • The study emphasizes the need for targeted vaccination strategies and sustained surveillance to address regional disparities and prevent the resurgence of the disease.

Statistics:

  • 17.44: global incidence rate of adult pertussis in 1990 per 100,000 population
  • 9.00: global incidence rate of adult pertussis in 2019 per 100,000 population
  • 2.70: global incidence rate of adult pertussis in 2021 per 100,000 population
  • 18.59: incidence rate of adult pertussis in low SDI countries in 2019 per 100,000 population
  • 3.96: incidence rate of adult pertussis in high SDI countries in 2019 per 100,000 population
  • 58.41%: reduction in incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • 50.34%: decrease in DALYs during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • 0.63%: average annual percentage change (AAPC) in incidence numbers in low SDI countries between 1990 and 2019
  • 0: AAPC in incidence numbers in older adults between 1990 and 2019

Sources:

  • Global, regional, and national burdens of pertussis among adults: a systematic analysis of age-specific trends using Global Burden of Diseases 2021 data. Infectious Diseases of Poverty, 2025;14(1):85.
  • Jiadong Wu et al. State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China.

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