Effectiveness of Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Assessed by Hospital‐Based Active Surveillance in Germany

We assessed the effectiveness of complete and partial pertussis vaccination in Germany--a country where acellular vaccine is predominantly used--for the prevention of cases of pertussis requiring hospitalization. Vaccine effectiveness was estimated by means of a screening method. Vaccine coverage of children born during the period of June 1996 through December 1998 was assessed by a telephone survey. Data from hospitalized children with pertussis in 1997-1998 and from patients with pertussis complications in 1997-2000 were acquired by a nationwide, hospital-based, active surveillance system. Age-adjusted vaccine effectiveness of completed primary vaccination was estimated to be 99.8% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 98.9-100). After receipt of 1 dose of vaccine, vaccine effectiveness was as high as 68.0% (95% CI, 45.6-81.1), increasing to 91.8% (95% CI, 84.7-95.7) after receipt of the second dose. Vaccine effectiveness was even slightly higher for pertussis with complications. Thus, even after partial vaccination, acellular pertussis vaccine is highly effective in preventing hospitalizations for pertussis.