A young girl in the U.K. is in cancer remission thanks to her sister’s lifesaving bone marrow donation.

Ruby Leaning, 10, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia after collapsing on the school playground in Jan. 2020, according to SWNS, the British news service.

The rare blood cancer required an urgent bone marrow transplant to keep the 6-year-old alive.

AI COULD PREDICT WHETHER CANCER TREATMENTS WILL WORK, EXPERTS SAY

After several tests, Leaning’s then 2-year-old sister, Mabel Leaning, came up as a “perfect match.”

The Leaning sisters’ grandmother, Amanda Fawcett, confirmed to SWNS that Ruby Leaning received treatment with Mabel Leaning’s stem cells.

Ruby Leaning was declared cancer-free in 2022 — meaning Mabel Leaning “saved Ruby’s life for sure,” Fawcett said.

“She’s a happy, normal and healthy 10-year-old who loves swimming, dancing and piano lessons.”

“We [weren’t] expecting her to be a match at first, but thankfully she was, so we just couldn’t believe our luck,” she said. 

“It was amazing – we were so thankful.”

SOME BREAST CANCER PATIENTS COULD BE AT RISK OF ANOTHER TYPE OF CANCER, STUDY REVEALS

Fawcett recalled the moment her granddaughter was diagnosed with cancer at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

“It’s just every parent and grandparent’s nightmare,” she said to SWNS.

“I was in the room with her mom when we found out, and you just can’t take anything in at all. It was all just heart-shattering.”

Ruby Leaning, pictured in the hospital, was diagnosed with acute leukemia in 2020. (Amanda Fawcett via SWNS)

Dr. Katharine Patrick, hematology consultant at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, shared in a statement with Fox News Digital that most children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can be treated with just chemotherapy.

“However, Ruby’s rare form of ALL meant she also needed a bone marrow transplant to get better,” she said.

“When Ruby’s leukemia did not respond well to chemotherapy, she received a relatively new drug called blinatumomab, which got her leukemia into remission and allowed us to perform her bone marrow transplant.”

Ruby and Mabel Leaning have “a great relationship between them,” grandmother Amanda Fawcett said. (Amanda Fawcett via SWNS)

The doctor said she considered Mabel Leaning’s donation “wonderfully brave” at only 2 years old.

“We’re so pleased with Ruby’s progress and wish her and her family all the best for these next steps,” she told Fox News Digital.

Fawcett described her granddaughters as “so close,” telling SWNS that they are “amazing girls.”

“They’ve got a great relationship between them,” she said.

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“Mabel will be asking to borrow Ruby’s shoes when she realizes [she saved her life] – and we do laugh about how it will be fun and games.”

Fawcett said Ruby Leaning has been “doing fantastic” in remission and is “back to her normal self.”

“She’s a happy, normal and healthy 10-year-old who loves swimming, dancing and piano lessons,” she said.

“We’re so pleased with Ruby’s progress and wish her and her family all the best for these next steps.”

The grandmother is currently raising money for the Parents Association of Children with Tumors and Leukemia (PACT), which supported the Leaning family, according to SWNS.

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“None of us could be there for Ruby, which was horrendous for us, because of the pandemic, but they were an amazing support,” Fawcett shared.

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Nine months into the U.S. launch of the first drug proven to slow the advance of Alzheimer’s, Eisai and Biogen’s Leqembi is facing an unexpected hurdle to widespread use: an entrenched belief among some doctors that treating the memory-robbing disease is futile.

Alzheimer’s experts had anticipated bottlenecks due to Leqembi’s requirements, which include additional diagnostic tests, twice-monthly infusions and regular brain scans to guard against potentially lethal side effects.

And those issues have played a role in slow adoption since the drug was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to interviews with 20 neurologists and geriatricians from rural, urban, academic and community practices in 19 states.

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In interviews with Reuters, seven doctors treating patients for Alzheimer’s attributed their own reluctance to prescribe Leqembi to concerns about the drug’s efficacy, cost and risks. 

“I don’t think it’s a good Alzheimer’s drug. I think that’s the problem,” said Dr. James Burke, a neurologist at the Ohio State University who has been an outspoken critic of Leqembi. “It’s certainly nothing like the home run that we’re looking for.”

Another six scientists, all leaders in the field, said “therapeutic nihilism” – the belief that Alzheimer’s is a hopelessly intractable disease – was playing a bigger role than anticipated in suppressing demand from primary care doctors, geriatricians and neurologists who could be sending patients to memory specialists for treatment.

Dr. Reisa Sperling, a neurologist and Alzheimer’s researcher at Mass General Brigham in Boston, likens some doctors’ skepticism to Leqembi to fatalistic attitudes about cancer treatment 30 years ago: “You can’t really do anything about it, so why would you even want to get tested?”

Alex Scott, Eisai’s chief administrative officer, acknowledged that skepticism has weighed on the launch along with slower-than-expected adoption by large health systems.

He suggested that some of the doctors’ hesitancy could be a holdover from the decades-long journey to prove that removing the Alzheimer’s protein beta amyloid from the brain could slow the course of the disease. Before Esai released the promising results of its Leqembi trial, some thought that area of research “a fool’s errand,” Scott said.

“We are beginning to make more and more progress every single month. So we’re still quite encouraged,” Scott said. “This is a new journey, and I think it takes some time for providers to figure it out.”

‘SIGNIFICANT RISKS, MARGINAL BENEFIT’

Leqembi was the first amyloid-targeting drug granted full FDA approval after it slowed the decline in cognition in people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s by 27% in a clinical trial.

Of the 10,000 Americans the companies hoped to treat by the end of March, Eisai announced only a couple thousand had begun treatment as of the end of January. An Eisai spokeswoman declined to provide updated numbers.

Even for treatments that do not require dramatic changes to medical practice, adoption of new drugs is notoriously slow. Several studies have estimated that it can take 17 years on average for clinical research to be translated into routine practice.

The disease is estimated to affect more than 6 million Americans, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

NEW DEMENTIA DRUG ‘HAS GIVEN ME HOPE’: ALZHEIMER’S PATIENTS REVEAL THEIR STORIES

Fewer than half of U.S. neurologists recommend Leqembi to patients, according to a January survey by life sciences market researcher Spherix Global Insights.

Dr. Michael Greicius, a professor at Stanford University’s Center for Memory Disorders, said there is little evidence that Leqembi benefits patients in a meaningful way.

“If we take the trial result at face value, the differences between placebo and treatment are likely small enough as to be undetectable by patients and family members or physicians,” said Greicius, who does not recommend Leqembi to patients.

He said the long wait for an Alzheimer’s drug has put doctors in the position of feeling obligated to offer a treatment “even if the evidence for it is very slim.”

Other doctors have raised concerns about the risk of brain swelling and bleeding associated with Leqembi as well as the costs associated with the $26,500 annual drug, frequent MRIs and twice-monthly infusions.

“There are significant risks associated with these drugs, there are significant costs, and I would say there is marginal benefit,” said Dr. Eric Widera, a geriatrician and professor at University of California San Francisco, referring to amyloid-lowering treatments.

In an editorial published in November in the Journal of Gerontological Nursing, Donna Fick, president of the American Geriatrics Society, advised doctors that the group recommends caution in the use of lecanemab, which is sold under the brand name of Leqembi. 

“It is not yet clear whether treatments such as lecanemab that remove amyloid from the brain produce clinically important slowing of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease.”

‘YOUR ENEMY IS NIHILISM’

Dr. Jonathan Liss, a neurologist from Columbus, Georgia, who serves on Eisai’s scientific advisory board and has tested Leqembi in clinical trials, said he first warned about nihilism at a November 2022 conference following a presentation of Leqembi’s breakthrough study.

Eisai had asked its scientific advisors how the drug might fare against future rivals. Liss cautioned that rivals were not the enemy; “your enemy is nihilism,'” he recalled. “All of the neurologists around the table started applauding.”

FIRST DRUG PROVEN TO SLOW ALZHEIMER’S WON’T BE AVAILABLE TO MOST PATIENTS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS

Dr. Nathaniel Chin, a geriatrician with the University of Wisconsin’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, said he was the target of negative comments on social media after he urged geriatricians to embrace such treatments in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Geriatricians, geriatric social workers and nurses objected, arguing that the drug’s statistically significant benefit was not clinically meaningful to patients, especially given the risks, he said.

“I would ask the question, ‘Is it ethical to withhold a medication that is FDA-approved and covered by insurance from someone who knows the risk and is willing to take it?'” Chin said.

Dr. Priya Singhal, executive vice president and head of development at Biogen, acknowledged some apathy among physicians about the treatment but said that infrastructure and lack of access to neurologists have been bigger issues.

Singhal said the companies are working with physician and patient advocacy groups and developing educational programs and materials aimed at diagnosing early-stage patients, managing side effects and understanding the drug’s benefits.

The companies said they intend to increase their salesforce by 30% as they aim for 100,000 patients by 2026.

For the moment, Leqembi is the only Alzheimer’s drug on the market designed to slow the course of the disease. A decision on Lilly’s donanemab has been delayed until the FDA convenes an advisory panel.

Lilly neuroscience president Anne White said in an interview that she sees doctor hesitancy as an issue that the company hopes to address by making clear which patients benefit from such treatments.

In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, many patients are still independent, and to be able to remain so for longer is very meaningful, she said.

‘PEACE AND QUIET’

Lyn Castellano, 64, who founded and ran a St. Louis breast cancer charity for 20 years and trained therapy dogs, started taking Leqembi last September, nearly a year after she found herself struggling with keeping track of appointments and was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.

Castellano said the prospect of bleeding in the brain – a possible side effect of the drug – was her biggest concern, but her family believed the drug may offer a chance at slowing the disease.

She is one of more than 140 patients being treated by physicians from Washington University in St. Louis, and has had 13 infusions and two MRIs without incident.

Dr. Suzanne Schindler, an Alzheimer’s researcher who is treating Castellano, said Leqembi “forces clinicians to completely change the way they have practiced medicine for many years.”

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She said she is candid about Leqembi’s modest benefit as well as the risks. About 80% of those she believes are good candidates have opted for the treatment, she said.

While Castellano can’t tell if Leqembi is helping, she says the treatment has given her hope, and she doesn’t mind the twice monthly infusions.

“I get to go, sit back in a nice chair, have my dog with me and read a book for a couple hours. It’s about the only place I get some peace and quiet.”

• Wally Lewis has urged the Australian government to fund support services and education about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
• Lewis, a rugby player from the 1980s, made an appeal on behalf of the Concussion and CTE Coalition for millions of dollars in funding.
• Lewis revealed that he is living with probable CTE, a type of dementia linked to repeated concussive and sub-concussive blows to the head.

A legendary rugby player has cited the fear and anxiety that has come into his life among the reasons for urging the Australian government to fund support services and education about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Wally Lewis, dubbed “The King” when he played rugby league for Queensland state and Australia in the 1980s, made an appeal on behalf of the Concussion and CTE Coalition for millions of dollars in funding during a National Press Club address Tuesday.

The 64-year-old Lewis said he’s living with probable CTE, which he described as a type of dementia associated with repeated concussive and sub-concussive blows to the head.

HYPE OR HORROR? THE RISK OF CTE BRAIN DISEASE DIVIDES FOOTBALL AND MEDICAL COMMUNITIES

Lewis, who worked for decades as a television sports anchor after retiring as a player in the early 1990s, relayed his own experience to get his message across.

“The fear is real. I don’t want anyone to have to live with the fear and anxiety that I live with every day, worried about what I’ve forgotten … the fear of what my future will look like,” Lewis said. “And living with the constant fear and anxiety that I’ll let people down – the people who all my life have been able to rely on me and looked to me for my strength and leadership.”

Lewis led Australia’s Kangaroos in 24 international matches, was among the original players to popularize the annual State-of-Origin series, and was included in Australia’s Rugby League Team of the Century in 2008.

The National Rugby League has honored him as a so-called “Immortal” of the game.

O.J. SIMPSON’S BRAIN WILL NOT BE DONATED TO CTE RESEARCH: REPORT

Yet his memories of it aren’t clear. He started playing rugby league as a young boy and also played rugby union at an elite level before embarking on a professional career in rugby league.

“It’s a journey marked by the twin shadows of fear and embarrassment, a journey through the fog of dementia and the erosion of my memory,” he said. “I once had the confidence in myself to succeed, lead a team to victory, captain my country, remember the strengths and weaknesses of opposition teams, organize myself each and every day and feel well and truly in control of my life.

“Now, much of that confidence has been taken away from me by the effects of probable CTE dementia.”

Lewis said better community awareness on concussion was needed and prevention programs, including a sharper focus on tackling techniques from young players through to professionals.

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Awareness of CTE and concussion has grown since players in contact football sports, including the National Football League in the United States and rugby union in Britain, launched concussion lawsuits.

The Rugby World Cup took place last year against the backdrop of a concussion lawsuit in Britain that had similarities to one settled by the NFL in 2013 at a likely cost of more than $1 billion.

CTE, a degenerative brain disease known to cause violent moods, depression, dementia and other cognitive difficulties, can only be diagnosed posthumously. It has been linked to repeated hits to the head endured by football, rugby and hockey players, boxers and members of the military.

“As Wally Lewis I have influence – I have a platform – and I intend to use it at every opportunity to bring about change for all Australians like me who are impacted by CTE,” Lewis said, “and to do whatever I can to protect the brains of Australian children from CTE.”

A chemotherapy alternative called immunotherapy is showing promise in treating cancer — and a new artificial intelligence tool could help ensure that patients have the best possible experience.

Immunotherapy, first approved in 2011, uses the cancer patient’s own immune system to target and fight cancer. 

While it doesn’t work for everyone, for the 15% to 20% who do see results, it can be life-saving.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

Like any medication, immunotherapy has the potential for adverse side effects — which can be severe for some. 

Studies show that some 10% to 15% of patients develop “significant toxicities.”

Headquartered in Chicago, GE HealthCare — working in tandem with Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in Nashville, Tennessee — has created an AI model that’s designed to help remove some of the uncertainties surrounding immunotherapy.

Over the five years it’s been in development, the AI model was trained on thousands of patients’ electronic health records (EHRs) to recognize patterns in how they responded to immunotherapy, focusing on safety and effectiveness.

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“The model predicts which patients are likely to derive the benefit from immunotherapy versus those patients who may not,” said Jan Wolber, global digital product leader at GE HealthCare’s pharmaceutical diagnostics segment, in an interview with Fox News Digital.

“It also predicts which patients have a likelihood of developing one or more significant toxicities.”

When pulling data from the patient’s health record, the model looks at demographic information, preexisting diagnoses, lifestyle habits (such as smoking), medication history and more.

Immunotherapy, which was first approved in 2011, uses the cancer patient’s immune system to target and fight cancer.  (iStock)

“All of these data are already being collected by the patient’s oncologist, or they’re filling out a form in the waiting room ahead of time,” said Travis Osterman, a medical oncologist and associate chief medical information officer at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in an interview with Fox News Digital.

(Osterman is working with Wolber on the development of the AI model.)

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“We’re not asking for additional blood samples or complex imaging. These are all data points that we’re already collecting — vital signs, diagnoses, lab values, those sorts of things.”

In a study, the AI model showed 70% to 80% accuracy in predicting patients’ responses to immunotherapies, according to an article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology Clinical Cancer Informatics.

“While the models are not perfect, this is actually a very good result,” Wolber said. “We can implement those models with very little additional effort because there are no additional measurements required in the clinic.”

‘Natural progression’

This type of technology is “a natural progression of what we’ve been doing in medicine for a very long time,” Osterman said.

“The only difference is, instead of surveying patients, we’re taking the entirety of the medical record and looking for risk factors that contribute to an outcome,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

The AI model was trained on thousands of patients’ electronic health records to recognize patterns in how they responded to immunotherapy, focusing on safety and effectiveness. (iStock)

With immunotherapy, there is generally a lower response rate than with chemotherapy, Osterman noted — but some patients have “incredible responses” and ultimately become cancer-free.

“I would be horrified to know that one of my patients that I didn’t give immunotherapy to could have been one of the tremendous responders,” he told Fox News Digital. 

Conversely, Osterman noted that in rare cases, immunotherapy can have some serious side effects.

“I would be horrified to know that one of my patients that I didn’t give immunotherapy to could have been one of the tremendous responders.”

“I would say about half of patients don’t have any side effects, but for those who do, some of them are really life-altering,” he said. 

“We don’t want to miss anyone, but we also don’t want to harm anyone.”

At the core of the AI project, Osterman said, is the ability to “put all the information into the exam room,” so the oncologist can counsel the patient about the risks and benefits of this particular therapy and make the best, most informed decision about their care. 

Combining technology and human expertise

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in the AI model’s development but commented on its potential.

“AI models are emerging that are helping to manage responses to cancer treatments,” he told Fox News Digital. 

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in the AI model’s development but weighed in on its potential. “AI models are emerging that are helping to manage responses to cancer treatments,” he said. (Dr. Marc Siegel)

“These can allow for more treatment options and be more predictive of outcome.”

AI models like this one are an example of “the essential future of personalized medicine,” Siegel said, “where each patient is approached differently and their cancer is analyzed and treated with precision using genetic and protein analysis.”

As long as physicians and scientists remain in charge — “not a computer or robot” — Siegel said that “there is no downside.”

Potential limitations

The AI model does carry some degree of limitations, the experts acknowledged.

“The models obviously do not return 100% accuracy,” Wolber told Fox News Digital. “So there are some so-called false positives or false negatives.” 

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The tool is not a “black box” that will provide a surefire answer, he noted. Rather, it’s a tool that provides data points to the clinician and informs them as they make patient management decisions.

Osterman pointed out that the AI model uses a “relatively small dataset.”

“We would love to be able to refine our predictions by learning on bigger data sets,” he said.

The tool is not a “black box” that will provide a surefire answer, one of the researchers said; rather, it’s a tool that provides data points to clinicians and informs them as they make patient management decisions. (iStock)

The team is currently looking for partnerships that will enable them to test the AI model in new settings and achieve even higher accuracy in its predictions. 

Another challenge, Osterman said, is the need to integrate these AI recommendations into the workflow.

“This is pretty new for us as a health care community, and I think we’re all going to be wrestling with that question,” he said. 

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Looking ahead, once the AI model has achieved the necessary regulatory approvals, GE HealthCare plans to make the technology available for widespread use by clinicians — perhaps even expanding to other care areas, such as neurology or cardiology.

There is also the potential to incorporate it into drug development.

“We don’t want to miss anyone, but we also don’t want to harm anyone.”

“One of the things that drug makers struggle with is that some of the agents that may be really useful for some patients could be really toxic for others,” Osterman said.

“If they were able to pick which patients could go into a trial and exclude patients with the highest risk of toxicity, that could mean the difference between that drug being made available or not.”

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He added, “If this means that we’re able to help tailor that precision risk to patients, I’m in favor of that.”

Ultimately, Osterman said, “it’s a really exciting time to be in medicine … I think we’re going to look back and regard this as the golden age of AI recommendations. I think they’re probably here to stay.”

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As whooping cough cases are surging globally, some may wonder if it’s necessary to get a booster.

Cases of the childhood respiratory disease also known as pertussis are surging internationally and in parts of the U.S., according to a recent report.

Bordetella pertussis is a type of bacteria that causes a very contagious respiratory infection that spreads from person to person through small respiratory droplets, per the CDC.

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“Reports indicate that whooping cough outbreaks are surging across Europe, Asia and parts of the United States, including Northern California, marking the largest uptick since 2012, with cases rising sharply since December,” Maggie Rae, president of the Royal Society of Medicine’s epidemiological and public health section in London, told Fox News Digital.

Prevalence of cases

In the U.K., there were an estimated 555 cases in January of this year and 913 cases in February — compared to 858 cases for all of 2023, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

Cases in China totaled more than 15,000 this January. That’s 15 times higher than the same time period last year, reports stated.

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“Concerns are mounting in Europe, especially in the Netherlands, where 1,800 cases were reported in the first two weeks of April, leading to four deaths, with declining childhood vaccination rates cited as a possible cause by public health officials,” Rae said.

“This is a very important public health issue, and I would urge those members of the public who require a vaccine for pertussis to take this up.”

Whooping cough is mostly controlled in the United States, although “breakthrough cases” can occur in people who are fully vaccinated. 

Cases of the childhood respiratory disease known as whooping cough or pertussis are surging internationally and in parts of the U.S., according to a recent report. (iStock)

Clusters of cases in certain parts of the U.S. are expected for this time of year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There have been small “clusters” of cases of whooping cough in the U.S., extending from San Francisco to New York City.

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A Catholic high school in San Francisco, California, has reported more than 12 cases since January, according to local reports.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene estimated 244 cases from Oct. 1, 2023, to Jan. 31, 2024. 

That’s a 200% increase compared to the same time period in the prior year, a recent health advisory stated.

“This is a very important public health issue.”

Most unvaccinated cases involved infants, while most vaccinated individuals were school-aged children. 

A majority of adults had an unknown vaccination history, the advisory noted.

The U.S. typically has approximately 20,000 cases of pertussis per year. Yet as people donned masks and practiced physical distancing during the pandemic, annual cases dropped to 6,124 in 2020 and 2,116 in 2021, according to the CDC.

Symptoms and risk factors

Clusters of cases often occur where there are large groups of young people, such as child care centers and schools.

“The symptoms of pertussis are initially like a cold, with a runny nose, and progress to a cough,” Jennifer Duchon, M.D., hospital epidemiologist and director of antimicrobial stewardship at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital in New York, told Fox News Digital.

Patients tend to develop a cough that can become severe — sometimes to the point of vomiting, Duchon said.

Health care providers typically test for the disease with a nasal swab. (iStock)

“The characteristic ‘whooping’ sound is a gasp that is made when trying to breathe after a long episode of coughing,” she added.

The cough can linger for weeks after a person catches pertussis.

When outbreaks occur, babies are at a high risk of getting sick and dying from the infection, health officials warn.

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“Pertussis is most severe in infants 6 months of age or less, especially in infants who were born preterm or are not immunized,” Duchon said.

“Young infants can have a severe cough that impairs their ability to breathe, and can lead to episodes where they vomit, struggle to breathe or even cease breathing after bouts of coughing.”

Patients tend to develop a cough that can become severe — sometimes to the point of vomiting, a doctor said. “The characteristic ‘whooping’ sound is a gasp that is made when trying to breathe after a long episode of coughing.” (iStock)

Babies often won’t make that whooping sound, so a warning sign is when their face turns blue as they struggle to breathe, the CDC noted.

The infection can progress to bacterial pneumonia or a condition called pulmonary hypertension, in which heart function is affected by the disease, Duchon warned.

Treatment and prevention

Health care providers typically test for the disease with a nasal swab.

“If pertussis is caught early, patients can take an antibiotic called azithromycin, but this only helps make the disease less severe and does not cure the disease,” Duchon noted.

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“If someone is exposed to pertussis and is at risk for severe disease or had a lot of contact with the ill person, doctors will sometimes recommend a short course of an antibiotic to act as a ‘prophylaxis’ against the disease.”

Currently, there are two kinds of vaccines for whooping cough available in the U.S., according to the CDC.

“The best way to prevent the disease is to make sure that all family members and health care workers are up-to-date on their vaccinations — not only for pertussis, but also other vaccine-preventable diseases,” Duchon told Fox News Digital.

“Children should get their primary series of vaccines at 2 months, 4 months and 6 months, and then at 15 months through 18 months, and at 4 years through 6 years,” a doctor advised. (iStock)

The DTaP vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.

The Tdap vaccine protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.

The DTaP vaccine is for babies, while the Tdap “booster” vaccine is for pre-teens, teenagers and adults, per the CDC.

“Before vaccination became available, the disease used to be a major cause of mortality in young children,” Duchon noted.

Specific vaccine recommendations

Due to the high risk to babies, the CDC recommends that pregnant women receive the Tdap vaccine during the 27th and 36th week of pregnancy, regardless of their prior vaccination status.

This prevents 78% of cases in infants younger than 2 months old and decreases hospitalization by 90% for infants younger than 2 months old who are infected with pertussis, according to the CDC.

“Everyone in close contact with a very young infant should be vaccinated against pertussis.”

It is recommended that babies get immunized with the DTaP vaccine series, which provides immunity for three separate infectious diseases — diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.

“Children should get their primary series of vaccines at 2 months, 4 months and 6 months, and then at 15 months through 18 months, and at 4 years through 6 years,” Duchon advised.

The Tdap vaccine protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. (iStock)

Adolescents should receive the Tdap vaccine at 11 to 12 years old to boost their immunity, the CDC recommends.

In children who receive the full series, 98% have full protection against the infection within a year after the last dose, but the response decreases to 71% after five years, the agency states.

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As pertussis immunity wanes from the original vaccination series in childhood, adults should get regular boosters, Monica Gandhi, M.D., professor of medicine and an infectious disease specialist at UCSF/ San Francisco General Hospital, told Fox News Digital.

“Although the exact frequency of the need for booster vaccination has not been precisely worked out, we recommend a tetanus vaccine every 10 years,” she said.

The DTaP vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. (iStock)

As the pertussis vaccine comes formulated with tetanus immunization in the form of the Tdap vaccine, many practitioners recommend a pertussis vaccine every 10 years when the booster for tetanus is provided, according to Gandhi.

Other providers may only recommend routine pertussis boosters in certain circumstances, such as for pregnant women or adults who have never been vaccinated, Duchon added.

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“Everyone in close contact with a very young infant should be vaccinated against pertussis,” she said. 

“We call this strategy ‘cocooning,’ where those around the baby form a protective wall against the disease.”

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