This is an archive article published on June 26, 2018

Multi-centre study to assess burden of whooping cough among infants

Pertussis is known for uncontrollable, violent coughing, which often makes it hard to breathe. After cough fits, someone with pertussis often needs to take deep breaths that result in a whooping sound.

2 min readPuneJun 26, 2018 11:17 AM IST

Multi-centre study to assess burden of whooping cough among infants

According to Dr Bavdekar, there are no blood tests that can tell if there are enough antibodies in the body to protect the baby against whooping cough.Source: Thinkstock Images)

Whooping cough (also known as pertussis) is a serious respiratory infection that mostly affects infants. Due to limited documentation, a multi-centre study will, for the first time, assess the burden of the disease in infants less than one-year-old. KEM hospital in Pune, along with centres in Kolkata, Chennai and Ludhiana, is part of the project.

Dr Ashish Bavdekar, principal investigator of the project and consultant paediatrician at KEM hospital, told The Indian Express that DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis) vaccines are routinely recommended for mothers to protect the babies against disease caused by bacteria (diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough). But there is a need to understand the burden of the disease and how many babies with whooping cough are hospitalised during the first year of their life.

Pertussis is known for uncontrollable, violent coughing, which often makes it hard to breathe. After cough fits, someone with pertussis often needs to take deep breaths that result in a whooping sound. According to Dr Sanjay Lalwani, president of Pune unit of Indian Academy of Paediatrics, there is a high burden of pertussis in the country. “However, as the baby does not have antibodies against the disease during the first six weeks after their birth, the mother is vaccinated during the pregnancy against whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria,” said Lalwani.

According to Dr Bavdekar, there are no blood tests that can tell if there are enough antibodies in the body to protect the baby against whooping cough. Hence, the ambitious study where 1,000 children under one year will be enrolled across four centres. These include Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai, Institute of Child Health, Kolkata, Christian Medical College at Ludhiana and KEM hospital in Pune. Once enrolled, the babies will be monitored and the throat swabs for culture will be tested at the centres’ laboratories. The KEM hospital will also conduct molecular diagnosis, Bavdekar said, adding that the study will commence soon.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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