symptoms, vaccine, risks… Why is this the worst epidemic in France for 25 years?

With more than 130,000 cases and 35 deaths, France is experiencing its worst whooping cough epidemic in more than a quarter of a century. “A very significant circulation of the bacteria that has intensified in recent months,” summarized the Public Health France agency on Wednesday, September 18. An outbreak also observed in multiple other countries.

This disease, marked by a specific cough, is sometimes a mortal danger for the little ones. In adults, it is often benign, but can lead to complications serious, respiratory and neurologicalIn this context of development of the disease, the health authorities have called for vaccination to be accelerated.

A mandatory vaccination for infants, and strongly recommended for all close contacts with them, as well as for the mother during pregnancy. Vaccination is indeed very effective and protects babies against the most serious forms. However, it can only occur from a few months, hence the importance of vaccinating those around little ones.

How can we explain the resurgence of this disease?

A hypothesis arises according to which a decline in vaccination would have taken place during the Covid crisis. Limited access to the health system would explain this. Despite speculation, a Eurosurveillance study announces “There is no evidence that vaccination against (whooping cough) has declined in France, even if delays were observed during the early days of the pandemic”.

Whooping cough appears to be one of the consequences of the Covid crisis in 2020-2021. This is also the case for other epidemic resurgences, such as measles. health restrictions established at that time, would have limited exposure to multiple pathogensThe bacteria Bordetella pertussis, which causes the disease, contains two proteins essential for the development of the disease, which were generally absent before the Covid period.

The Covid period is not, however, one of the only causes of this reappearance. The Pasteur Institute reminds us that “whooping cough nevertheless continues to circulate cyclicallywith epidemic peaks observed every three to five years between 1997 and 2019”.

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