Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39930341›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2025

Sources and clinical characteristics of infant pertussis in China: increasing contribution of siblings.

Feng Luo, Shuhan Zheng, Yang Zhou, Yao Zhu, Ying Su, Rongrong Dai, Chunzhen Hua, Hangjie Zhang, Hanqing He

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Feng Luo *School of Public Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.
Shuhan Zheng *Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.
Yang Zhou *Department of Immunization Program, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China.
Yao ZhuDepartment of Immunization Program, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China.
Ying SuSchool of Public Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.
Rongrong DaiHangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.
Chunzhen HuaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, The Children's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Hangjie ZhangDepartment of Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China. hjzhang@cdc.zj.cn.
Hanqing HeDepartment of Immunization Program, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China. hanqinghe@cdc.zj.cn.

Funding

Explorer Program of Zhejiang Municipal Natural Science Foundation LQ23H100001the National Natural Science Foundation of China 82302519Zhejiang Provincial Disease Prevention and Control Science and Technology Plan 2025JK014Zhejiang Provincial Medical and Health Science and Technology Plan 2023RC143
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhile parents were traditionally the main reservoir for infant pertussis, transmission sources may have shifted with China's multi-child policy. Our study aimed to investigate the household transmission patterns and clinical characteristics of pertussis in infants.

methodsWe investigated infant pertussis patients (aged ≤ 6 months) diagnosed at a hospital (Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine) from 1 January to 1 May 2024. The laboratory diagnosis of pertussis was confirmed through bacterial culture. We collected basic and clinical information and conducted a telephone survey to investigate the transmission patterns within their households.

resultsA total of 275 infant pertussis cases were identified, including 162 (58.9%) infants aged ≤ 3 months. A total of 188 households completed the transmission pattern survey, of which 121 households had two or more children. The clinical characteristic analysis indicated that infants aged ≤ 3 months had more severe disease, with higher proportion of paroxysmal cyanosis (12.4% vs. 3.5%), elevated leukocyte count (13.3 vs. 9.8 × 10

conclusionsThis study highlights the growing involvement of older children in the spread of pertussis, with siblings emerging as the main sources of pertussis transmission to infants in multi-child households. Optimization of pertussis vaccination tactics is advised to protect infants better.

Indexed as

SiblingsWhooping CoughBordetella pertussisChinaFamily CharacteristicsFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleClinical characteristicsEpidemiologyInfantPertussisSiblingsTransmission

Identifiers

PMID39930341
PMCPMC11812223

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.