Synonyms in a broader sense
Medical: Pertussis
Introduction
The whooping cough vaccination is recommended by the STIKO, the German vaccination commission, and is usually vaccinated in childhood. A pertussis vaccination in adulthood is also possible. Especially women who want to become pregnant and are not vaccinated should be vaccinated, because an infection with pertussis during pregnancy can be very dangerous for the child.
If you are pregnant and have not been vaccinated against whooping cough, this can be done up to about the 8th month of pregnancy. In most cases, vaccination is already given in early childhood with only a few months. The vaccine is usually given with a combination vaccination with tetanus and diphtheria so that the children do not have to be pricked too often.
A combination vaccination with polio is also possible. The pertussis component is a killed partial vaccine, which is better tolerated than the whole vaccine and causes fewer side effects. In total, children should be vaccinated three times.
The first vaccination against whooping cough is given at the age of about two months and then again at 12 and 15 months. The protection rate is then about 90%. A refreshment of the pertussis vaccination is then given again at the age of 10 and 18 years. If you are not vaccinated and there are sick children in your environment, you should catch up on the vaccination as soon as possible.
Is a pertussis vaccination useful?
The pertussis vaccination is, just like all other vaccinations recommended by the STIKO (permanent vaccination commission of the Robert Koch Institute), useful. The vaccination prevents the spread of pathogens that can lead to death, especially in children. Vaccination is also advisable for adults, as they may be unknowingly carriers of pathogens in the absence of immunization and may transmit them to children with insufficient immune protection.
By preventing the spread of pathogens, epidemics can be prevented. Diseases that are survived by children can also cause consequential damage to the children. Apart from vaccination reactions such as fever, redness of the injection site and muscle pain, serious side effects such as allergic reactions after vaccinations have rarely been observed.
The vaccines have also been improved to such an extent that vaccination reactions have become less frequent. It is therefore recommended to vaccinate every child after the second month of life according to the STIKO vaccination calendar. The paediatrician will give advice on vaccination and the vaccination calendar can of course also be viewed online.