Purpose
Although pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease, its incidence increased rapidly in Guro-gu, Seoul, since May 2024. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of pertussis cases and outbreaks during this period.
Methods
Data from epidemiologic investigations of 355 laboratory-confirmed pertussis cases reported in 2024 in Guro-gu, Seoul, were analyzed using national surveillance records. Demographics, vaccination status, outbreak-associated educational settings, and symptom-to-test intervals were analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests.
Results
Between May and December 2024, 355 cases were reported, 85.4% of which occurred among school-aged children and adolescents, representing a marked increase compared with previous years. Outbreaks were identified in two elementary schools, three middle schools, and four private academies, indicating clustered transmission in educational settings, with school-based attack rates ranging from 3.2% to 6.3%. Among 146 outbreak-associated school cases, 95.4% had completed age-appropriate vaccination on time. The symptom-to-test interval showed a right-skewed distribution (median, 6 days; interquartile range, 3–11), with longer delays observed in high school students.
Conclusion
The sharp increase in pertussis cases among school-aged children underscores the need for strengthened surveillance in educational settings and improved timeliness of testing to reduce transmission. Delays in symptom-to-test intervals and the occurrence of cases despite age-appropriate vaccination suggest possible waning immunity, highlighting the importance of evaluating booster vaccination strategies and targeted age-specific public health interventions.

Purpose
This study investigated the relationships between mothers' knowledge and practice level of cough etiquette and their children's practice level of cough etiquette as perceived by their mothers.
Methods
This study was a descriptive correlational study. The data were collected from 160 mothers with preschoolers attending daycare centers and kindergartens in Gwangju, South Korea using self-reported questionnaires.
Results
The correct answer rate for cough etiquette knowledge in mothers was 86.0%, mothers' average practice score was 33.65±4.14, and their children's average practice score was 28.39±4.85 out of 48. The correlation between mothers' cough etiquette knowledge and practice level was not statistically significant. However, mothers' cough etiquette practice was positively correlated with children's cough etiquette level as perceived by mothers (r=.35, p<.001).
Conclusion
The development of a systematic cough etiquette education program and measurements for both mothers and children according to their developmental stages is important to effectively prevent respiratory infections.

Citations

• Trends in the Use of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions in Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic, February 2021 to December 2023: A Mixed Methods Study
  Nicole M. Robertson, Kailey Fischer, Iris Gutmanis, Veronica Zhu, Brenda L. Coleman
  International Journal of Environmental Research an.2025; 22(3): 394.     CrossRef
• Gender differences associated with knowledge, attitude, and behavior about cough etiquette in primary health care
  Rahmat Bakhtiar, Krispinus Duma, Hilda Hilda, Romi Hendra, Anwar Mallongi
  Pharmacia.2024; 71: 1.     CrossRef