Research and analysis

Laboratory-confirmed cases of pertussis in England: annual report for 2022 supplementary data tables

Updated 23 May 2024

Applies to England

Supplementary data to accompany the annual report for 2022 of laboratory-confirmed cases of pertussis reported to the enhanced surveillance programme in England.

Figure 1. Laboratory-confirmed cases of pertussis infection by year and quarter, England: 2011 to 2022

Figure 2a. Incidence of laboratory-confirmed pertussis cases, aged under one year, England: 1998 to 2022 (note 1)

Note 1: More diagnostic methods have become available over the time period presented with increasing use of serology in particular from around 2006 (see Table 4 and Figure 3) and oral fluid testing introduced from 2013 for those aged 5 to 16 years and extended to 2 to 16 years from May 2018.

Figure 2b. Incidence of laboratory-confirmed pertussis cases, aged one year and older, England: 1998 to 2022 (note 2)

Note 2: More diagnostic methods have become available over the time period presented with increasing use of serology in particular from around 2006 (see Table 4 and Figure 3) and oral fluid testing introduced from 2013 for those aged 5 to 16 years and extended to 2 to 16 years from May 2018.

Figure 3. Proportionate distribution of laboratory-confirmed pertussis cases by laboratory method shown by year and age group, England 2011 to 2022 (note 3), (note 4)

Note 3: Excludes a very small number of cases where the age was not known.

Note 4: Culture confirmed cases may additionally have tested positive by any other method, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed cases may have additionally tested positive by serology or oral fluid (OF) and serology confirmed cases may also have been confirmed by OF. Cases are only represented once on the graph.

Table 1. Laboratory-confirmed cases of pertussis infection by laboratory method (note 5), and year, England: 2002 to 2022 (note 5), (note 6)

Year	Culture	PCR	Serology	Oral fluid only	Total	Serology reports as % of total
2002	215	15	106	-	336	32%
2003	102	14	76	-	192	40%
2004	109	30	117	-	256	46%
2005	170	45	151	-	366	41%
2006	101	15	288	-	404	71%
2007	100	43	472	-	615	77%
2008	162	75	640	-	877	73%
2009	95	49	549	-	693	79%
2010	43	24	342	-	409	84%
2011	158	75	818	-	1,051	78%
2012	376	193	8,798	-	9,367	94%
2013	80	82	4,362	97	4,621	94%
2014	85	86	3,109	107	3,387	92%
2015	110	130	3,784	167	4,191	90%
2016	155	233	5,328	233	5,949	90%
2017	87	212	3,884	157	4,340	89%
2018	46	137	2,610	155	2,948	89%
2019	96	229	2,964	391	3,680	81%
2020	28	71	775	120	994	78%
2021	0	5	40	4	49	82%
2022	1	12	45	10	68	66%

Note 5: Culture confirmed cases may additionally have tested positive by any other method, PCR confirmed cases may have additionally tested positive by serology or OF and serology confirmed cases may also have been confirmed by OF. Cases are only represented once in the table.

Note 6: More diagnostic methods have become available over the time period presented with increasing use of serology in particular from around 2006 (see Table 4 and Figure 3) and oral fluid testing introduced from 2013 for those aged 5 to 16 years and extended to 2 to 16 years from May 2018.

Table 2. Laboratory-confirmed cases of pertussis infection by region (note 7), England: 1994 to 2022 (note 8), (note 9)

Year	East Midlands	East of England	London	North East	North West	South East	South West	West Midlands	Yorkshire and Humber	England Total (note 9)
1994	28	53	38	24	119	67	59	20	48	456
1995	16	16	16	9	49	40	14	16	10	186
1996	29	27	14	24	77	51	63	48	32	365
1997	50	61	31	53	128	88	85	67	70	633
1998	46	41	11	21	71	51	53	23	33	350
1999	22	33	18	20	56	29	59	29	28	294
2000	6	22	13	8	32	39	30	22	11	183
2001	12	13	16	16	45	66	48	38	27	281
2002	59	22	19	18	35	59	65	47	12	336
2003	7	21	19	11	48	32	28	15	11	192
2004	32	17	37	19	42	52	22	19	16	256
2005	35	25	36	12	48	54	69	57	30	366
2006	56	32	55	32	74	56	51	23	25	404
2007	61	52	66	35	68	139	119	39	36	615
2008	66	73	107	48	90	183	161	89	60	877
2009	56	57	89	24	92	152	121	50	52	693
2010	30	28	55	42	65	59	65	20	45	409
2011	133	105	92	73	114	191	178	73	92	1,051
2012	1,182	1,125	785	411	657	1,801	1,517	752	1,137	9,367
2013	551	501	516	234	348	853	716	399	503	4,621
2014	266	357	537	98	231	715	426	298	459	3,387
2015	364	412	559	157	387	789	642	440	441	4,191
2016	537	949	799	208	547	842	682	632	753	5,949
2017	403	491	633	164	303	723	669	438	516	4,340
2018	256	391	492	56	247	462	457	299	288	2,948
2019	378	535	528	150	377	537	378	551	244	3,680
2020	104	132	118	42	90	149	127	151	81	994
2021	7	9	9	2	2	6	5	8	1	49
2022	11	7	6	2	7	8	6	11	10	68

Note 7: Region based on patient GP surgery.

Note 8: More diagnostic methods have become available over the time period presented with increasing use of serology in particular from around 2006 (see Table 4 and Figure 3) and oral fluid testing introduced from 2013 for those aged 5 to 16 years and extended to 2 to 16 years from May 2018.

Note 9: The totals include a very small number of cases where the region was not known.

Table 3. Laboratory-confirmed cases of pertussis infection by age group, England: 1994 to 2022 (note 10), (note 11) 

Year	Under 3 months	3 to 5 months	6 to 11 months	1 to 4 years	5 to 9 years	10 to 14 years	15 years and over	Total (note 11)
1994	157	35	22	114	59	22	10	456
1995	76	20	9	37	34	6	4	186
1996	152	36	17	75	53	16	11	365
1997	290	71	26	127	84	18	14	633
1998	168	53	21	41	44	17	6	350
1999	145	38	12	43	36	10	10	294
2000	88	22	11	38	14	4	6	183
2001	160	35	8	24	35	7	12	281
2002	114	34	6	40	42	24	68	336
2003	79	17	3	14	24	13	42	192
2004	81	18	9	16	29	27	76	256
2005	144	24	12	24	19	26	117	366
2006	67	16	5	17	23	77	199	404
2007	101	22	3	18	27	107	337	615
2008	170	34	8	26	23	132	484	877
2009	100	24	3	28	24	84	430	693
2010	57	8	3	11	15	43	272	409
2011	164	32	9	16	18	113	699	1,051
2012	407	74	27	103	175	806	7,775	9,367
2013	85	24	7	65	99	429	3,912	4,621
2014	98	14	11	48	128	351	2,737	3,387
2015	130	32	13	70	218	437	3,291	4,191
2016	155	47	34	117	305	504	4,787	5,949
2017	115	37	16	75	198	369	3,530	4,340
2018	49	26	17	87	139	288	2,342	2,948
2019	83	32	21	147	222	467	2,706	3,680
2020	30	15	5	49	52	150	693	994
2021	1	1	0	3	2	3	39	49
2022	2	3	0	10	3	3	47	68

Note 10: More diagnostic methods have become available over the time period presented with increasing use of serology in particular from around 2006 (see Table 4 and Figure 3) and oral fluid testing introduced from 2013 for those aged 5 to 16 years and extended to 2 to 16 years from May 2018.

Note 11: The totals include a very small number of cases where the age was not known.

Table 4. Laboratory-confirmed cases of pertussis infection by age group and laboratory method (note 12), England: 2002 to 2022 (note 12), (note 13)

Year	Laboratory method	Under 1 year	1 to 4 years	5 to 9 years	10 to 14 years	15 years and over	Total (note 14)
2002	Culture	140	30	19	5	13	215
2002	PCR	10	3	2	0	0	15
2002	Serology	4	7	21	19	55	106
2002	All	154	40	42	24	68	336
2003	Culture	86	10	3	1	2	102
2003	PCR	12	2	0	0	0	14
2003	Serology	1	2	21	12	40	76
2003	All	99	14	24	13	42	192
2004	Culture	81	13	6	4	5	109
2004	PCR	27	0	2	0	1	30
2004	Serology	0	3	21	23	70	117
2004	All	108	16	29	27	76	256
2005	Culture	137	18	6	1	8	170
2005	PCR	38	1	1	3	2	45
2005	Serology	5	5	12	22	107	151
2005	All	180	24	19	26	117	366
2006	Culture	72	10	2	9	8	101
2006	PCR	13	1	0	1	0	15
2006	Serology	3	6	21	67	191	288
2006	All	88	17	23	77	199	404
2007	Culture	77	4	5	6	8	100
2007	PCR	41	1	0	1	0	43
2007	Serology	8	13	22	100	329	472
2007	All	126	18	27	107	337	615
2008	Culture	137	6	1	5	13	162
2008	PCR	71	3	0	1	0	75
2008	Serology	4	17	22	126	471	640
2008	All	212	26	23	132	484	877
2009	Culture	76	10	2	1	6	95
2009	PCR	47	1	0	1	0	49
2009	Serology	4	17	22	82	424	549
2009	All	127	28	24	84	430	693
2010	Culture	41	1	0	0	1	43
2010	PCR	24	0	0	0	0	24
2010	Serology	3	10	15	43	271	342
2010	All	68	11	15	43	272	409
2011	Culture	129	7	4	4	14	158
2011	PCR	74	0	1	0	0	75
2011	Serology	2	9	13	109	685	818
2011	All	205	16	18	113	699	1,051
2012	Culture	298	12	6	9	51	376
2012	PCR	189	3	0	0	1	193
2012	Serology	21	88	169	797	7,723	8,798
2012	All	508	103	175	806	7,775	9,367
2013	Culture	51	5	0	7	17	80
2013	PCR	63	4	0	1	14	82
2013	Serology	2	54	85	361	3,860	4,362
2013	OF	0	2	14	60	21	97
2013	All	116	65	99	429	3,912	4,621
2014	Culture	58	6	3	2	16	85
2014	PCR	62	5	2	2	15	86
2014	Serology	3	34	96	294	2,682	3,109
2014	OF	0	3	27	53	24	107
2014	All	123	48	128	351	2,737	3,387
2015	Culture	67	11	9	5	18	110
2015	PCR	97	9	2	4	18	130
2015	Serology	11	48	143	344	3,238	3,784
2015	OF	0	2	64	84	17	167
2015	All	175	70	218	437	3,291	4,191
2016	Culture	90	16	5	9	35	155
2016	PCR	138	28	12	11	44	233
2016	Serology	8	71	186	383	4,680	5,328
2016	OF	0	2	102	101	28	233
2016	All	236	117	305	504	4,787	5,949
2017	Culture	51	11	4	4	17	87
2017	PCR	116	27	11	8	50	212
2017	Serology	1	37	115	277	3,454	3,884
2017	OF	0	0	68	80	9	157
2017	All	168	75	198	369	3,530	4,340
2018	Culture	24	5	2	3	12	46
2018	PCR	64	24	7	2	40	137
2018	Serology	4	40	81	216	2,269	2,610
2018	OF	0	18	49	67	21	155
2018	All	92	87	139	288	2,342	2,948
2019	Culture	50	13	2	5	26	96
2019	PCR	86	47	16	15	65	229
2019	Serology	0	29	95	266	2,574	2,964
2019	OF	0	58	109	181	41	391
2019	All	136	147	222	467	2,706	3,680
2020	Culture	13	9	1	1	4	28
2020	PCR	31	13	4	9	14	71
2020	Serology	5	8	22	75	665	775
2020	OF	1	19	25	65	10	120
2020	All	50	49	52	150	693	994
2021	Culture	0	0	0	0	0	0
2021	PCR	2	1	0	0	2	5
2021	Serology	0	2	0	1	37	40
2021	OF	0	0	2	2	0	4
2021	All	2	3	2	3	39	49
2022	Culture	0	0	0	0	1	1
2022	PCR	5	4	1	0	2	12
2022	Serology	0	0	1	0	44	45
2022	OF	0	6	1	3	0	10
2022	All	5	10	3	3	47	68

Note 12: Culture confirmed cases may additionally have tested positive by any other method, PCR confirmed cases may have additionally tested positive by serology or OF and serology confirmed cases may also have been confirmed by OF. Cases are only represented once in the table.

Note 13: More diagnostic methods have become available over the time period presented with increasing use of serology in particular from around 2006 (see Figure 3) and oral fluid testing introduced from 2013 for those aged 5 to 16 years and extended to 2 to 16 years from May 2018.

Note 14: The totals include a very small number of cases where the age was not known.

Table 5. Pertussis notifications and deaths, England: 2001 to 2022

Year	Notifications	Deaths (note 15)
2001	851	8
2002 (note 16)	858	4
2003	386	3
2004 (note 16)	475	3
2005	567	7
2006	539	5
2007	1,070	4
2008	1,465	6
2009	1,126	3
2010	382	1
2011	811	5
2012	6,224	14
2013 (note 16)	2,967	3
2014	2,302	7
2015	2,680	4
2016 (note 16)	4,134	4
2017	3,031	0
2018	2,402	1
2019	3,692	1
2020	1,284	0
2021	468	0
2022	504	0

Note 15: From 2001, death data includes deaths reported to the UKHSA pertussis enhanced surveillance programme from Health Protection Teams, Hospital Episode Statistics, Office for National Statistics (ONS) or Patient Demographic Service.

Note 16: Where a case was confirmed in one year but died the following year this is recorded as a death in the year it was confirmed. This ensures consistency between data presented on laboratory-confirmed cases of pertussis and related deaths.

Table 6. Historic pertussis notifications and deaths, England and Wales: 1940 to 2000

Year	Notifications	Deaths (note 17)
1940	53,607	678
1941	173,330	2,383
1942	66,016	799
1943	96,136	1,114
1944	93,990	1,054
1945	62,663	689
1946	92,912	808
1947	92,662	905
1948	146,383	748
1949	102,809	527
1950	157,752	394
1951	169,347	453
1952	114,863	181
1953	157,835	243
1954	105,904	139
1955	79,101	87
1956	92,407	92
1957	85,017	87
1958	33,400	27
1959	33,252	25
1960	58,030	37
1961	24,469	27
1962	8,347	24
1963	34,736	36
1964	31,594	44
1965	12,945	21
1966	19,417	23
1967	33,531	27
1968	17,367	15
1969	4,994	6
1970	16,597	15
1971	16,844	26
1972	2,069	2
1973	2,437	2
1974	16,225	13
1975	8,910	12
1976	3,907	3
1977	17,475	7
1978	65,956	12
1979	30,816	7
1980	21,131	6
1981	19,395	5
1982	65,815	14
1983	19,340	5
1984	5,517	1
1985	22,046	4
1986	36,506	3
1987	15,203	5
1988	5,117	0
1989	11,646	1
1990	15,286	7
1991	5,201	0
1992	2,309	1
1993	4,091	0
1994	3,964	3
1995	1,869	2
1996	2,387	2
1997	2,989	2
1998	1,577	4
1999	1,139	2
2000	712	2

Note 17: ONS death data only is presented.

Source: Notifications of Infectious Disease.

Table 7. Pertussis notifications by age group, England: 1982 to 2022 (note 18)

Year	Under 1 year	1 to 4 years	5 to 9 years	10 to 14 years	15 to 24 years	25 to 44 years	45 to 64 years	65 years and over	Not known	Total
1982	5,548	34,071	18,433	1,851	557	1,059	260	90	601	62,470
1983	1,649	9,830	5,425	572	189	359	70	32	189	18,315
1984	564	2,738	1,513	169	52	84	33	7	47	5,207
1985	2,059	9,935	6,783	725	184	287	79	22	208	20,282
1986	3,410	15,223	12,591	1,418	418	680	186	53	382	34,361
1987	1,609	6,573	4,786	592	169	342	78	18	141	14,308
1988	655	2,292	1,415	215	53	85	22	5	61	4,803
1989	1,268	4,870	3,700	585	129	212	57	9	137	10,967
1990	1,442	5,614	5,301	957	206	323	87	20	175	14,125
1991	574	2,009	1,707	337	62	139	15	7	58	4,908
1992	324	826	693	164	44	60	20	7	33	2,171
1993	496	1,399	1,345	362	59	102	41	10	42	3,856
1994	500	1,301	1,235	349	69	104	51	7	64	3,680
1995	316	628	509	137	40	69	23	6	29	1,757
1996	412	684	745	181	44	107	33	11	35	2,252
1997	660	871	797	206	63	136	48	11	36	2,828
1998	378	466	374	108	21	72	20	9	23	1,471
1999	288	316	288	70	21	67	14	4	9	1,077
2000	195	200	143	40	20	29	17	4	10	658
2001	288	192	221	66	20	32	17	3	12	851
2002	248	197	224	68	20	62	26	6	7	858
2003	115	86	65	38	21	32	16	8	5	386
2004	128	90	85	70	14	53	23	6	6	475
2005	178	100	75	65	28	61	43	12	5	567
2006	131	78	72	83	47	77	39	11	1	539
2007	154	142	116	208	90	182	142	27	9	1,070
2008	254	201	130	201	152	260	203	51	13	1,465
2009	182	177	95	130	93	235	175	34	5	1,126
2010	56	59	31	40	31	81	64	17	3	382
2011	96	128	73	78	71	165	139	55	6	811
2012	564	714	351	499	745	1,639	1,348	343	21	6,224
2013	179	342	163	261	303	827	713	171	8	2,967
2014	147	280	163	225	249	614	493	128	3	2,302
2015	203	324	235	258	233	670	608	144	5	2,680
2016	262	416	306	345	363	1,062	1,095	276	9	4,134
2017	199	298	213	273	297	742	793	210	6	3,031
2018	133	287	169	204	177	601	628	198	5	2,402
2019	164	456	313	370	322	877	925	264	1	3,692
2020	69	167	102	148	85	302	312	97	2	1,284
2021	52	192	54	19	27	83	31	10	0	468
2022	42	165	53	29	35	94	64	21	1	504

Note 18: More diagnostic methods have become available over the time period presented with increasing use of serology in particular from around 2006 (see Table 4 and Figure 3) and oral fluid testing introduced from 2013 for those aged 5 to 16 years and extended to 2 to 16 years from May 2018.

Source: Notifications of Infectious Disease.

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