Whooping cough vaccine tested

Press, 16 April 1986, Page 55

Whooping cough vaccine tested

NZPA-AP Nashville More children suffering from whooping cough, a potentially life-threaten-ing disease, may soon be inoculated with a new Japanese vaccine that is safer than the existing vaccine, Vanderbilt University researchers say. Preliminary tests of the new vaccine indicate it may be safer than the commonly used vaccine, which is sometimes blamed for side effects. But more tests are needed before the Japanese product is marketed, doctors attending a Tennessee Medical Association meeting were told. “I think the Japanese vaccine is in our future and probably fairly soon,” said Dr David Karzon, chairman of pediatrics at Vanderbilt Medical School. Concern about side effects of the existing vaccine for whooping cough, or pertussis, has received widespread publicity. However, the side effects, which include high fever, convulsions and brain damage, occur in a small number of children who received the vaccine, officials said.

While whooping cough was fatal in more than 60 per cent of its victims under one year old, the number of children inocu-

lated with the vaccine who had side effects was about one in 7000, officials said. By comparison, the American Academy of Pediatrics has said the number of cases of permanent brain damage caused by whooping cough is one in 310,000. Because some parents apparently have refused to allow their children to be vaccinated, some doctors feel the number of cases of whooping cough has risen.

“The public is very worried,” said Dr Kathryn Edwards, associate professor of pediatrics at Vanderbilt. “We have seen an increase in the number of children with pertussis in our hospital, there is no doubt about it.”

The Japanese vaccine has been tested by Vanderbilt researchers in about 80 children who had already received the conventional vaccine for whooping cough, and blood tests indicated the vaccine stimulated similar immunity with fewer adverse effects. The Vanderbilt tests were conducted during the last 18 months, and researchers hope to resume testing in the next few months.