Incidence of Pertussis in Anbar Province, West of Iraq, during ۲۰۰۹-۲۰۱۹

Pertussis (whooping coughalso called۱۰۰-day cough) is an extremely infectious bacterial illness caused by Bordetella pertussis. B. pertussis spreads by coughs and sneezes of sick patients. The present study aimed to investigate the pertussis incidence, and thereafter, decide whether it is necessary to import a vaccine for this disease in Anbar province, Iraq. This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed by using the electronic archives of Pertussis patients in Anbar Governorate hospitals during a period of ۱۰ years from ۲۰۰۹ to ۲۰۱۹. The incidence rate of pertussis has been calculated by dividing the annual cases number of infections by the size of the population at risk multiplied by ۱۰۰,۰۰۰. From ۶۰۸ patients with pertussis registered at Anbar province hospitals, ۳۱۵ (۵۱.۸%) and ۲۹۳ (۴۸.۲%) of them were males and females, respectively, with an average age of ۱۱.۱±۳ years old. The incidence rates of pertussis in ۲۰۰۹, ۲۰۱۰, ۲۰۱۱, ۲۰۱۲, ۲۰۱۳, ۲۰۱۴, ۲۰۱۵, ۲۰۱۶, ۲۰۱۷, ۲۰۱۸, ۲۰۱۹ were ۰.۰۱۴, ۲.۷۷۰, ۱.۴۲۷, ۱.۳۷۵, ۳.۴۲۱, ۰.۲۲۸, ۰.۰۰, ۰.۰۰, ۲۱.۳۲۱, ۴.۲۴۲, ۰.۶۰۴ in ۱۰۰,۰۰۰ people per year. The annual incidence ratio was ۱۳.۶۲۰/۱۰۰,۰۰۰ people per year. There was no statistically significant difference between males and females (P-value =۰.۱۳۰). There was one peak in the annual incidence rate of pertussis from ۲۰۰۹-۲۰۱۹ which happened in ۲۰۱۷. Lack of pertussis incidence during ۲۰۱۵-۲۰۱۶ was due to population displacement. Incidence of pertussis was more prevalent in the age group of ۱-۴ years old, compared to the۱-year-old group. The incidence of pertussis decreased sharply during the last ۲ years in Anbar province.

Keywords:

Pertussis , Incidence , Iraq