Tetanus toxoid reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine adsorbed(GlaxoSmithKline Plc)

FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2026 -- Maternal influenza and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccinations are associated with a lower risk for influenza- and pertussis-related hospitalization or emergency department (ED) visits in infants younger than 6 months, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in JAMA Network Open . Gabriella Morabito, from the National Centre for Healthcare Research and Pharmacoepidemiology at the University of Milano-Bicocca Milan in Italy, and colleagues conducted a population-based cohort study using health care utilization databases from the Lombardy region of Italy to examine the association of maternal influenza and Tdap vaccinations with influenza- and pertussis-related hospitalizations and ED visits among infants aged younger than 6 months. A total of 53,448 pregnant individuals who received the Tdap vaccine and 5,347 who received the influenza vaccine were included in the study. Maternal vaccination coverage was 6.4 and 41.0 percent for influenza and Tdap, respectively. The researchers found that the risk for hospitalization or ED visits for influenza and pertussis was lower among infants born to mothers who received the influenza and Tdap vaccines (vaccine effectiveness, 69.7 and 88.6 percent, respectively). "These results support the current recommendations for administering these vaccines during pregnancy and highlight the urgent need to implement strategies aimed to increase their acceptance," the authors write. One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Abstract/Full Text

THURSDAY, Nov. 20, 2025 — Whooping cough is making a major comeback in the United States, with sharp increases now seen in Texas, Florida, California, Oregon and many other places. Health officials say the latest rise in pertussis cases is being driven by falling vaccination rates, waning immunity and slower public health tracking systems. What's more, officials say, is that babies remain the most vulnerable. "Pertussis cases increase in a cyclical fashion driven by waning immunity," Dr. Demetre Daskalakis , former head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) immunization program, told CBS News . "But the size of the outbreak and the potential for severe outcomes in children who cannot be vaccinated can be mitigated by high coverage and good communication to folks at risk," he added. Before a vaccine was introduced in the early 1900s, whooping cough was one of the leading causes of childhood death in the United States. Today, routine vaccination starts at 2 months old and continues through adulthood with booster shots. But the pandemic brought a drop in vaccine uptake and nonmedical exemptions in some states have widened immunity gaps. Texas illustrates how quickly case numbers have grown. The state reported 1,928 cases in 2024. By October 2025, that number had already climbed past 3,500. National trends are just as shocking. In the first three months of 2025, the United States counted 6,600 pertussis cases, four times last year’s pace and 25 times the pace in 2023. Outbreaks in places like Louisiana, South Dakota and Idaho show the problem is not limited to just one region of the country. Texas recently made it easier for parents to claim exemptions by letting them download forms online, and Dallas County Health Director Dr. Phil Huang said he has already seen a drop in families coming in for routine shots. He also worries that some families, especially in Dallas County’s 40% Hispanic population, may be avoiding vaccinations because of immigration enforcement concerns. Another issue is that protection from the current “acellular” pertussis vaccine wears off over time, leaving many adults without strong immunity. This makes it easier for adults to unknowingly spread the illness to infants. Babies face the highest risk: about 1 in 5 infants with pertussis develop pneumonia , and about 1% die from the infection, according to the CDC. The CDC stresses that pregnant women should get a Tdap vaccine during every pregnancy so their newborns receive antibodies before birth. More cases are also being found because clinics now use modern PCR testing that checks for several respiratory infections at once, including pertussis. Even so, the number of infant hospitalizations shows that true transmission is increasing. Doctors usually treat pertussis with macrolide antibiotics, but resistant strains have been rising in other countries such as China and Peru, reports CBS News . Resistant cases remain rare in the United States, although officials caution that international travel could change that. Health experts say the best strategy now is early detection and vaccination. Clinicians are being urged to consider pertussis whenever a patient has a persistent cough, especially if the patient is an infant or a caregiver of a baby. Families are also encouraged to make sure children, teens and adults are up to date on their vaccines and to keep sick visitors away from newborns. Sources CBS News, Nov. 19, 2025