Over the past year, the Czech Republic has experienced a concerning increase in various infectious diseases, including whooping cough (pertussis), scabies, scarlet fever, and legionnaires’ disease. The National Health Institute’s (SZÚ) Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, represented by Kateřina Fabiánová, reports that the number of whooping cough cases is anticipated to remain elevated this year, posing a particular threat to small children.

The recent surge in whooping cough cases is linked to reduced disease circulation during the COVID-19 pandemic and a decline in vaccination rates among specific population groups. Preliminary data for 2023 reveals 494 reported whooping cough cases across all age groups, with one death recorded in a person over 75 years old due to the disease. Whooping cough tends to resurface more frequently in the population every three to five years.

Unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated small children face the highest risk of severe complications and potential fatality due to whooping cough. Among last year’s patients, 20 children under one year old were infected, mostly within their families. Fabiánová emphasizes the importance of vaccinating pregnant women, providing protection for infants two months before their initial vaccination. The compulsory childhood vaccine, administered as part of a hexavalent vaccine, does not offer lifelong immunity, prompting experts to recommend at least one booster in adulthood.

Simultaneously, the number of scabies cases nearly doubled from the previous year, reaching 9,167 cases. The cause of this increase remains unclear, as various factors typically contribute to such fluctuations. Minor scabies epidemics tend to recur every 15 to 20 years, with higher infection risks observed in collective accommodation facilities such as senior homes, hostels, and kindergartens. Employees working in these facilities are also vulnerable to infection. Scabies, highly contagious through direct contact and potentially transmitted via bed linen, towels, clothing, and furniture, require prompt attention to prevent further escalation of cases. Health authorities are closely monitoring these trends and urging preventive measures to curb the spread of these infectious diseases.

Article by Prague Forum