Whooping cough (pertussis) and CF

Question

Dear expert team,
on the 3.3.13 I had asked a question on my severe dry cough, many thanks for the answer, Mrs. Dr. Smaczny. In the meantime I know what I have, whooping cough (pertussis) and that with 48 years! What I am astonished about is why the vaccination record is not check routinely, like a check list. I have never been vaccinated against pertussis. And honestly, I have never thought about pertussis anymore. I know, that the protection is not 100%. 2 of my 3 children had with me pertussis, one child not, even if all 3 had been vaccinated.
My next question, if I had pertussis now, can I get it another time or are my antibodies sufficient?
Many thanks for the answer.

Answer

Dear questioner,
in your question you are wondering about the fact that you suffered at adult age from whooping cough (pertussis) and you want to know, if you can get the illness again after having had pertussis.
Pertussis is difficult to diagnose according to symptoms at adult age. In the end, the diagnosis can only be confirmed by detecting antibodies against pertussis toxin.
Since implementation of the vaccination, the illness has been stemed, but in the courses of the years there is indeed a shift of the illness towards the adult age (in the year 2008 the mean age of a pertussis patient was 42 years!).
Via a vaccination an immunity is established (resistance of the body against germs) and the body is producing so-called antibodies. The immunity established via a vaccination is weaker than a naturally gained (via having the illness) immunity. The vaccination as well as the naturally gained immunity do not provide 100% protection and also in vaccinated as well as in people having had the illness of pertussis the illness can occur again. As a consequence, the vaccination is also recommended to adults and, in order to keep protection, it has to be boostered lifelong. The decision has to be made by anyone himself.
You report that you never have been vaccinated against pertussis. This is rather uncommon, as in Germany the vaccination is in the recommended vaccination shedule for children for mayn years and this includes also your year of birth (in former times in the 3-fold vaccination, today in the frame of the six-fold vaccination). It is written in the acutal vaccination record of the STIKO (permanent vaccination commission in Germany) that in case of adults (over the age of 18) the pertussis vaccination is recommended to all women in the reproductive age.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Christina Smaczny

10.05.2013