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Abstract

We report a record high pertussis epidemic in Denmark since August 2023. Highest incidence was in adolescents, while peak incidence in infants was lower vs previous epidemics in 2019 and 2016. Among infants aged 0–2 months, over half (29/48) were hospitalised and one infant died, underlining the disease severity in the youngest. To protect infants, pertussis vaccination in pregnant women was introduced in January 2024 in the national vaccination programme. Improved vaccination surveillance in pregnant women is being implemented.

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/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.14.2400160
2024-04-04
2024-04-29
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.14.2400160
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Pertussis epidemic in Denmark, August 2023 to February 2024
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Anne+Christine+Nordholm&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Nordholm Anne Christine</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Hanne-Dorthe+Emborg&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Emborg Hanne-Dorthe</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Sarah+Kristine+N%C3%B8rgaard&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Nørgaard Sarah Kristine</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Ulrikka+Nygaard&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Nygaard Ulrikka</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Aoife+Ronayne&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Ronayne Aoife</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Lise+Birk+Nielsen&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Nielsen Lise Birk</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Bolette+S%C3%B8borg&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Søborg Bolette</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Peter+H+Andersen&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Andersen Peter H</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Tine+Dalby&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Dalby Tine</a></span>. Pertussis epidemic in Denmark, August 2023 to February 2024. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2024;29(14):pii=2400160. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.14.2400160" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.14.2400160</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 16 Mar 2024;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 04 Apr 2024 </span> </p>
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.14.2400160
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.14.2400160
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