Journal of Clinical Pediatrics ›› 2025, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (5): 383-388.doi: 10.12372/jcp.2025.24e0793

• Literature Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research progress on severe pertussis in infants and young children

XU Shiyi1, DU Min2, BAI Lixia2, LIU Aihong2()   

  1. 1. Department of Pediatrics, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030012, Shanxi, China
    2. Shanxi Medical University Affiliated Children's Hospital, Taiyuan 030000, Shanxi, China
  • Received:2024-08-05 Accepted:2024-12-25 Published:2025-05-15 Online:2025-05-09

Abstract:

Pertussis is highly contagious. With the increase in the incidence rate of pertussis in recent years, pertussis outbreaks have even occurred in some areas. The recurrence of pertussis has attracted widespread attention, among which severe pertussis poses a great threat to the life and health of infants and young children. Elevated white blood cell count, pulmonary hypertension, non-vaccination and mixed infection are all associated with severe pertussis. Due to the lack of typical clinical symptoms and signs in infants and young children in the early stage, they often fail to receive timely diagnosis and treatment, which can easily lead to severe pertussis. Therefore, it is crucial to make an accurate diagnosis and provide timely treatment for pertussis. This article reviews the pathogenesis, treatment and prevention of severe pertussis in infants and young children, in order to deepen the clinician's understanding of severe pertussis and provide reference for the prevention and treatment of severe pertussis.

Key words: severe pertussis, pathogenesis, vaccine, infants and young children