When will the coughing stop? Characteristics of children with pertussis (whooping cough) in Armenia (2014-2018)

INTRODUCTION: Despite the reported cases of whooping cough in Armenia, there has been no formal evaluation of "who these cases are and their load on hospital wards". In a tertiary reference hospital, we determined the trend in hospitalized pertussis cases stratified by vaccination status and risk factors associated with apnea and hospital stay. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective cohort study of children ( 8 days) was significantly associated with non-vaccination (OR = 5.0, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: There is a progressive increase in rate of hospital admissions for pertussis meriting closer vigilance on a national scale. Unvaccinated children of younger age are predisposed to apnea and longer hospitalization and would benefit from early referral to specialized infectious units. This may improve clinical outcomes and reduce hospital burden.