Dr Helen Petousis-Harris from the University of Auckland has been awarded funding for a research project that will determine the effectiveness of the current whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine schedule in New Zealand.
The project has been funded in a partnership between the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) and the Ministry of Health.
“Addressing whooping cough is a key priority for New Zealand as we have a history of significant recent whooping cough epidemics”, says the HRC’s new Chief Executive, Dr Kathryn McPherson.
“This disease has a very serious impact on babies and children and research funded through this initiative will support the Ministry’s strategic planning for managing this infectious respiratory disease.”
Whooping cough remains a global health problem and despite achieving good immunisation coverage New Zealand continues to experience whooping cough epidemics. Currently available vaccines are not able to offer sustained protection against clinical disease and recent research suggests they may not prevent colonisation or transmission.
The acellular pertussis vaccine is currently administered at age 6 weeks, 3 months, 5 months, 4 years, and 11 years. The focus of this study is to assess how effective the current childhood whooping cough immunisation schedule is, what the effect of an additional dose of vaccine in toddlers would be on whooping cough rates, and the cost effectiveness of introducing an additional dose.
Dr Helen Petousis-Harris
The University of Auckland
Effectiveness of the New Zealand pertussis vaccine schedule
6 months, $134,215