Whooping cough has been prevailing in Miura Peninsula, particularly densely in and around Miura and Yokosuka cities since June, 1972 until now March, 1973.The number of the patients treated at only such three hospitals as Saint Joseph Hospital (Yokosuka city), Yokohama Kyosai Hospital, and Miura Municipal Hospital totaled as much as 138 in that period.
Epidemiological and clinical investigations were performed on this epidemie under the cooperation of several hospitals, laboratories and local health centers. Subjected in this paper were 68 patients, 50 out of which were proved bacilli positive (Phase-1 organism of Bordetella pertussis).
In the field of recent literature, particularly in domestic one, very few have reported pertussis epidemie in which the bacilli could be proved, and this report is for the first time since shinozuka and Fujino (1953) and Kasuga (1954).
The results are summarized as follows:
An age-distribution curve of the patients bearing its peak at the year of age 1 was obtained and in accordance with the progression of the epidemic a trend of transition of the year of age of the patient toward higher age group was also observed.
In referring to the anamnesis-note of mother and child, 24 among 68 patients were confirmed to have been vaccinated once to four times. Among the patients vaccinated, 9 received one vaccination, 5, two, 7, three, respectively, and those receiving the fourth vaccination (the 2nd term vaccination), i.e., those receiving complete vaccination were 3. Finally the number of the non-vaccinated was 44.
As regards the inoculation rate (corresponding to those receiving 2nd term vaccination) it counted, within the district of Yokohama General Health Center, 52.6% in 1971 and 61.1% in 1972. Within the district of Miura City Health Center it counted 66.5% in 1971 and 59.8% in 1972, respectively. In the case of the former (Yokosuka) the inoculation rate at the time of 1st vaccination was 89% in 1971 and 93% in 1972. In the case of the latter (Miura) the corresponding figures were 74.6% in 1971 and67% in 1972, respectively.
In the vaccinated group there were many individuals, the leucocyte count of which was small in number (less than 10, 000) from the early stage of the disease. The mean value of the leucocyte count was apparently less than that of non-vaccinated group. No.50, an eleven year old child belonging to the non-vaccinated group and showing leucopenia and low percentage of lymphocyte as well exhibited a symptom of shock after the third inoculation of vaccine.
The antibody (agglutinin) titer in patient's blood was high agaist the prevalent strain and low against the vaccine strain being used up to now. The agglutinin titre of the vaccinated was, in average, higher than those non-vaccinated.
In the statistical view point, the number of the pertussis patients discovered at the pediatric section of Saint Joseph Hospital fluctuated almost in parallel with the statistics notified throughout Japan in the period as far as we could see. It is our impresion that this hospital can play the role as a fixed observatory station which can suggest a general trend of the country.
Pertussis is said to be in the verge of extinction and actually the number of the notifications aretapering year by year. There are some who go so far as to say whooping cough is “Disease of vision”. But it really exists. Pertussis non-existing theory is only a myth.
