12d - Current resurgence of Bordetella pertussis in France, January-August 2024

Background : Whooping cough (pertussis) can result in severe complications, including death, especially in infants. Following a period of low circulation in the EU/EEA, over 25,000 cases of pertussis were reported in 2023 and already 32,000 cases by March 2024. A similar resurgence occurred in France in early 2024. This analysis describes the pertussis resurgence and its burden in infants in France, January-August 2024.

Methods : Pertussis is not a notifiable disease in France. Surveillance is conducted through multiple systems, including the RENACOQ network, a hospital-based sentinel system covering approximately 30% of hospitalized, laboratory-confirmed pertussis cases under 12 months (including demographic and vaccination data for children under six months only). Pertussis-related deaths were identified through electronic death certificates, covering about 66% of all deaths in children aged 0-14 years. We compared the number of pertussis hospitalizations and death in infants to the median case numbers for the same time period of 2019-2023.

Results : Between 01/01-31/08/2024 RENACOQ reported 277 hospitalized infants, exceeding the previous years’ numbers (median:34, range:1-55) and the numbers recorded during the last major outbreak in France in 2017-2018. Of the 220 (79%) cases under six months, 153 (55%) were too young for vaccination. Vaccination status was known for 38 of the 124 eligible infants, with 28 (74%) who received at least one dose. Twenty-one children died in 2024, 19 of whom were under 12 months, exceeding the previous years’ numbers (median:3, range:0-5).

Conclusions : Our analysis revealed a significant rise in pertussis hospitalizations and deaths in France in 2024, primarily affecting infants under 12 months. These results underscore the importance of maternal vaccination as well as prompting health authorities to recommend a booster for professionals and other caregivers for infants.