Pertussis serostatus among neonates born to Hispanic women.

Healy, C Mary; Rench, Marcia A; Edwards, Kathryn M; Baker, Carol J · Clin Infect Dis · 2006

cross_sectional · Level IV

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Abstract

The reasons for the higher pertussis incidence among Hispanic infants, compared with among infants of other ethnicities, are unknown. The geometric mean concentration of pertussis toxin-specific immunoglobulin G in serum samples from 220 Hispanic neonates was 8.45 EU/mL, as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and it was significantly lower if mothers were adolescents (4.63 EU/mL; P < or =.001). A lack of maternal immunity is one explanation for pertussis susceptibility in very young Hispanic infants.

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