Whooping cough outbreaks occur in highly vaccinated school populations due to waning immunity
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 90/100
Multiple studies and reviews confirm that whooping cough outbreaks frequently occur in highly vaccinated school populations primarily due to the natural waning of vaccine-induced immunity over time.
Evidence for · 8
Pertussis resurgence: waning immunity and pathogen adaptation – two sides of the same coin
2013 · cited by 257
States that the increase in pertussis is mainly found in age groups in which immunity has waned.
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More for · 7
Waning immunity and the future of booster vaccination strategies in global vaccine programs post COVID-19.
2026 · cited by 7
Lists pertussis immunity as waning within 4-12 years as a major global concern.
Understanding the Epidemiology and Contributing Factors of Post-COVID-19 Pertussis Outbreaks: A Narrative Review.
2026 · cited by 1
Identifies waning vaccine-derived immunity and lack of lifelong protection as contributing factors to periodic outbreaks.
Sudden pertussis outbreaks in Guro-gu, Seoul: epidemiological characteristics and contributing factors in 2024.
2026 · cited by 0
Notes that pertussis cases occurring despite age-appropriate vaccination suggest waning immunity in school-aged children.
Study on the resurgence of pertussis based on a stage-structured dynamic model.
2026 · cited by 0
Demonstrates through dynamic models that vaccine-induced immunity wanes over time, contributing to resurgence.
Revisiting Whooping Cough: Global Drivers and Implications of Pertussis Resurgence in the Acellular Vaccine Era.
2025 · cited by 0
Identifies waning and non-sterilizing acellular vaccine-induced immunity as a primary driver of the pertussis resurgence.
Pertussis resurgence in iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis of seroimmunity and diagnostic evidence.
2025 · cited by 0
Attributes the increased incidence of pertussis primarily to the waning of vaccine-induced immunity in adolescents and adults.
Exploring the cause of the pertussis resurgence in England following the COVID-19 pandemic: a mathematical modelling study.
2026 · cited by 0
Implicates the short duration of protection from acellular vaccines as a key factor in outbreaks among vaccinated populations.