Background: Little is known about whether there are any longer-term adverse health effects in children following Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis) vaccination during pregnancy. Objective: To assess the association between maternal Tdap vaccination during pregnancy and risk of the following early childhood adverse health outcomes: (1) infections (upper and lower respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal infections, and otitis media), (2) pediatric asthma, (3) neoplasm, (4) vision or hearing loss, and (5) urgent and in-patient health services utilization. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used multiple linked health administrative databases in the province of Ontario, Canada containing vaccine information in mothers and information on health outcomes in their children up to age 6 years. Infants exposed to prenatal Tdap were matched 1:5 with unexposed infants and outcomes were compared using hazard ratios and incidence rate ratios. Results: No significant adverse associations between prenatal Tdap and our study outcomes were observed. Inverse associations were found with upper respiratory infections (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR]: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93-0.99), lower respiratory infections (aIRR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.89-0.98), gastrointestinal infections (aIRR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.82-0.94), and urgent and in-patient health service utilization (aIRR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.94-0.97). Conclusions: Our findings support the long-term safety of Tdap administration in pregnancy.

Vaccine-preventable infectious diseases are still prevalent today. Hence, accurate data and techniques such as mathematical modelling are required to better understand their impact on a population level. This is especially the case for measles, as it has been identified to cause immune amnesia (IA): the loss of pre-existing immunological memory for other diseases after a measles infection. First, spectral analysis was used to describe the recurrent patterns of measles and whooping cough (WC) using weekly London mortality data between 1750–1900. Then, stochastic simulations of a model incorporating IA were performed to understand the effect of IA on the recurrent patterns of WC. The periodograms of the simulated model revealed that increasing IA strength and duration caused the longer periodicities of WC to resemble those of measles. This shift was seen for different population sizes, seasonal forcing amplitudes, and mean transmission rates, suggesting this trend can be observed in different ecological or social contexts. When the birth and death rates of London were used in the model with IA duration of less than a year, the WC periodogram of the simulations resembled that of the London mortality data between 1842–1900. Overall, the simulations demonstrate that IA may have contributed to the longer period spectral structure of WC that was found in the real data. Additionally, the mortality, birth rate, and death rate data presented in this thesis provide new tools for future studies in mathematical epidemiology. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / This thesis presents the weekly mortality time series of measles and whooping cough between 1750 and 1900, and describes their epidemic patterns over time. We also model the phenomenon of measles-induced immune amnesia (reduced pre-existing immunity after a measles infection), and examine how it alters the recurrent patterns of whooping cough at a population level. Additionally, we construct a plausible time series of the birth and all-cause mortality rate over the same 150 years. Overall, our analysis suggests immune amnesia alters the longer periodicities of whooping cough to resemble that of measles. Furthermore, we show that this longer periodic structure is similar to that of whooping cough in the late 19th century. Finally, the given mortality, birth rate, and all-cause mortality rate time series can serve as tools for other epidemiological studies, such as predicting long-term epidemic patterns of other diseases.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Virginia, 1997. / Spine title: Characterization of PT receptors. Includes bibliographical references (111-128). Also available online through Digital Dissertations.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Virginia, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-168). Also available online through Digital Dissertations.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-124). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-124). Also available on the Internet.

Pertussis is an infectious disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Bordetella pertussis. In Peru, actual public health programs indicate that vaccination against B. pertussis must be mandatory and generalized, besides all detected cases must be reported. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of B. pertussis among children under five years of age with a presumptive diagnosis of whopping cough in Cajamarca, a region located in northern Peru. / Background and Objectives: Pertussis is an infectious disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Bordetella pertussis. In Peru, actual public health programs indicate that vaccination against B. pertussis must be mandatory and generalized, be-sides all detected cases must be reported. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of B. pertussis among children under five years of age with a presumptive diagnosis of whopping cough in Cajamarca, a region located in northern Peru. Materials and Methods: The population of this cross-sectional study were children under 5 years old hospitalized as presumptive cases of pertussis during December 2017 to December 2018. The nasopharyngeal samples were analyzed by real-time PCR for the detection of B. pertussis. Results: B. pertussis was identified as PCR + in 42.3% of our sample (33/78). The clinical presentation that was observed most frequently includes paroxysmal coughing (97%), difficulty breathing (69.7%), cyanosis (72.7%) and post-tussive em-esis (60.6%). Additionally, pneumonia was the most observed complication (33.3%). Four of the patients with PCR+ for B. pertussis presented only lymphocytosis, five only leukocytosis, two patients with decreased leukocytosis and lymphocytes and only one patient with leukopenia and relative lymphocytosis. There was a percentage of 84.8% of unvaccinated children in the PCR+ group. Finally, the mother was the most frequent symptom carrier (18.2%). Conclusion: In conclusion, in the studied population there is a high rate of PCR+ cases for B. pertussis. Laboratory values may show leukopenia or lymphopenia in patients with pertussis. It is necessary to use appropriate laboratory diagnostic tests in all infants with respiratory symptoms for B. pertussis. Since, the clinical diagnosis overestimates the diagnosis of pertussis. / Revisión por pares

Background and Objectives: Pertussis is an infectious disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Bordetella pertussis. In Peru, actual public health programs indicate that vaccination against B. pertussis must be mandatory and generalized, be-sides all detected cases must be reported. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of B. pertussis among children under five years of age with a presumptive diagnosis of whopping cough in Cajamarca, a region located in northern Peru. Materials and Methods: The population of this cross-sectional study were children under 5 years old hospitalized as presumptive cases of pertussis during December 2017 to December 2018. The nasopharyngeal samples were analyzed by real-time PCR for the detection of B. pertussis. Results: B. pertussis was identified as PCR + in 42.3% of our sample (33/78). The clinical presentation that was observed most frequently includes paroxysmal coughing (97%), difficulty breathing (69.7%), cyanosis (72.7%) and post-tussive em-esis (60.6%). Additionally, pneumonia was the most observed complication (33.3%). Four of the patients with PCR+ for B. pertussis presented only lymphocytosis, five only leukocytosis, two patients with decreased leukocytosis and lymphocytes and only one patient with leukopenia and relative lymphocytosis. There was a percentage of 84.8% of unvaccinated children in the PCR+ group. Finally, the mother was the most frequent symptom carrier (18.2%). Conclusion: In conclusion, in the studied population there is a high rate of PCR+ cases for B. pertussis. Laboratory values may show leukopenia or lymphopenia in patients with pertussis. It is necessary to use appropriate laboratory diagnostic tests in all infants with respiratory symptoms for B. pertussis. Since, the clinical diagnosis overestimates the diagnosis of pertussis. / Revisión por pares

Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, Faculty of Medicine, 1998. / Typescript. Bibliography: leaves 118-128.