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Because of waning immunity, adolescents and young adults are at increased risk for pertussis. Presentation is often only a prolonged cough, in which case this diagnosis might not be considered. At Vanderbilt University, an increase in complaints of prolonged cough at the student health service during October and November prompted an epidemiologic investigation.
Thirty-seven students with prolonged cough were prospectively identified over a 4-week period; all reported full childhood immunization. Serologic testing revealed evidence of pertussis in 10. These students differed from the 27 without serologic evidence of pertussis only in duration of cough at presentation (38 vs. 24 days; P=0.02) and in total duration of cough (74 vs. 47 days; P=0…