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.

For queries relating to this document, please contact: immunisation@ukhsa.gov.uk