Researchers look to protect newborns from whooping cough

CALGARY- Jessica Andrus is expecting baby number six.

“We have five boys at home,” she says with a smile. “This time, we’re having a little girl.”

Jessica’s priority at the moment is keeping her baby healthy both now and after she’s born.  Its why she’s taking part in a new national study involving the whopping cough or pertussis vaccine.

“We are investigating the ability of pertussis-containing vaccines given in the third trimester of pregnancy to protect young infants from getting pertussis,” explains Dr. Otto Vanderkooi, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute.

Researchers hope to enroll 50 women in Calgary to take part in the project.  The multi-site study is expected to involve a total of 390 women across Canada.

Study participants will randomly receive either the pertussis vaccine or a standard tetanus-diptheria booster, and researchers will then monitor the child’s health for 18 months by taking samples of cord blood, the infant’s blood, the mother’s blood and breast milk to see if the vaccine produced enough antibodies to provide protection.

In Alberta, infants receive their first dose of pertussis vaccine at eight weeks old, but remain vulnerable to the disease for several months.

“We know that while we get some protection from the first shot of pertussis vaccine, the full effect is not realized until four to six months of age,” says Vanderkooi.

Last year there were 330 cases of whooping cough in Alberta and since 2011, two babies have died.

“It’s so dangerous for infants and pertussis,”  says study participant Lawna Hurl.  Her son Deacon was born on July 1st and although she doesn’t know if the vaccine she received was for pertussis, participating in the study has been comforting.

“If this can help in the future and help other little babies that are at risk, I think it’s really important to participate.”

Whooping cough starts as a mild cold but rapidly progresses to a severe cough that can include a gasping intake of breath that can sound like a whoop. Recovery can take several months.

Researchers are currently recruiting expectant mothers in Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Halifax, Vancouver and Toronto.  To be eligible, the pregnancy must be considered low-risk.

Expectant moms interested in participating in the Calgary arm of the study are asked to phone the research co-ordinator at 403-955-2981