Drug-resistant pressure of ‘100-day cough’ poses world menace because it strikes youngsters

Kids are under threat from a new drug-resistant strain of the ‘100-day cough’ that poses a global risk.

This newly discovered variant of whooping cough is resistant to both antibiotic treatment and vaccinations, according to research yet to be peer-reviewed. The mutated disease is being described as a “global” health menace by experts.

The “100-day cough” has seen cases reported in Europe, Asia, and the US this year. Since January, there has been a significant increase in whooping cough cases in the UK and Europe, marking the largest surge since 2012, The Mirror reported. A handful of cases have also been recorded in New York City, San Francisco and Hawaii.

READ MORE: AI priest defrocked after telling users to ‘baptise children in Gatorade’

Click here for the latest news and updates on science.

In January alone, over 15,000 cases were reported, representing a 15-fold increase compared to the same period last year. It’s not unusual for spikes in the condition – typically caused by either Bordetella pertussis or Bordetella parapertussis bacteria – to occur every three or four years.

The unusually high number of worldwide cases has weakened immunity among populations, allowing the disease to evade vaccine-induced protection. The study’s authors stated: “Pathogen evolution, rather than the widely accepted notion of waning immunity or ‘immunity debt’, is more likely the primary factor driving pertussis upsurge, age shift and vaccine escape.”

A new super strain of whooping cough, dubbed MR-MT28, is wreaking havoc in the UK, with experts warning it’s “uniquely capable of causing substantial infections among older children and vaccinated individuals”. The virus is also resistant to antibiotics including azithromycin, clarithromycin, and erythromycin.

The Children’s Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai has been swamped with cases since June 2016, and shockingly, a whopping 88% of those hit by the illness this year had been vaccinated. That’s a stark contrast to the 31% in previous years.

Whooping cough is known for targeting tots, but in a twist, 84% of the cases in 2024 were in older kids. Government letters had been sent off to parents warning them about the spike in whooping cough cases. These letters, crafted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), highlighted a worrying uptick in the East Midlands and Lincolnshire.

The cough can cling on for weeks after cold-like symptoms fade, bringing with it severe coughing fits, retching or vomiting after coughing, a dramatic ‘whoop’ when breathing in, and even rib pain. The UKHSA’s letter didn’t just spread the word it also dished out some solid advice for worried mums and dads.

The letter states: “If your child has any of the symptoms described above, we advise you to seek medical advice from a GP and take along this letter. Your GP may then arrange to test for whooping cough.”

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.