CHICAGO - The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released a new policy statement recommending universal vaccination of adolescents at the 11-12 year-age visit, as well as catch-up vaccination of older adolescents, to boost protection against pertussis (whooping cough). The tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) - will replace the Td (tetanus and reduced diphtheria toxoids) vaccine in the childhood immunization schedule. The Td vaccine is used for booster doses for adolescents and adults.

The incidence of pertussis in the US has increased from a low of 1,060 cases in 1976 to more than 25,000 reported cases in 2004. More than a third of the cases reported in 2004 occurred in adolescents 11-18 years of age. Reported pertussis-related deaths among infants increased from about 10 per year in the 1990s to about 20 per year in this decade.

Most reported pertussis cases among adolescents and adults occur because protective immunity against pertussis decreases within five to ten years after the last childhood vaccination. In both adults and adolescents, pertussis may cause severe and prolonged coughing, as well as vomiting and complications. Adults and adolescents are capable of spreading the infection to vulnerable populations, particularly infants who are too young to have been fully immunized.

According to AAP President Eileen Ouellette, MD, JD, FAAP, "In infants, pertussis can be dangerous, and very severe. Parents need to know how important it is to vaccinate their children on time to prevent a very serious and potentially-life-threatening disease."

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.