Retrospective analysis of bacterial culture-confirmed pertussis cases in Beijing Children's hospital from 2014 to 2019 reveals prevention and control of the grim situation in mainland China

Background: Our study aims to explore the epidemiological features of children with bacterial culture-confirmed pertussis visiting Beijing Children's Hospital, China. Methods: From 2014 through 2019, patients with suspected pertussis coming from mainland China provided nasopharyngeal swabs and bacterial culture that was subsequently cultivated. Results: During the study period, 6956 children with suspected pertussis from 30 different administrative provinces of mainland China were investigated, of which 1494 cases (21.5%) had positive B. pertussis culture. The number of pertussis cases increased year-on-year, from 122 in 2014 to 279 in 2019. Of the confirmed cases, 38.2% and 26.8% were identified in the summer and autumn, respectively. The age distribution of children with pertussis showed that 77.2% were <12 months old, including 56.0% B. parapertussis isolates and one B. bronchiseptica isolates were collected in the present samples. Conclusions: The present culture-confirmed cases reveal the severe epidemic situation of pertussis spreading over the whole country and mainly affecting the infants. It is necessary to set up hospital-based surveillance with reliable laboratory methods to promote clinical awareness and to monitor the disease.