Pertussis outbreak in Rawii District, Phuket, Thailand August 2018

Abstract

Background: On August 2018, we received the notification of a confirmed pertussis in infant from pediatric ward. We started an outbreak investigation in a village with aims to confirm diagnosis, determine the extent of the outbreak and to control the outbreak in Rawii district of Phuket province.

Methods: Active case finding was done in the household, village and school, Phuket. A suspected case defined as a person in the village and school who had ≥ 2 of the following symptoms; fever, cough and runny nose during July 1st to August 8th, 2018. A case was confirmed by real-time RT-PCR for Bordetella pertussis in nasopharyngeal swab. Environment survey was carried out in patient’s house, school and coverage of vaccination were also surveyed.

Results: A total of 34 cases. 6 cases were suspected, 22 cases were probable and 6 cases were confirmed pertussis. Most common symptoms are cough (100%), rhinorrhea (70.6%) and fever (58.8%).

Conclusions and disscussions: An outbreak of pertussis was confirmed in a household. Routine immunization services and contain the outbreak with appropriate antibiotic treatment should be intensified.

Keywords: Pertussis, Outbreak, disease investigation, disease control