Pertussis vaccine research.

The mechanisms of infection and immunity in pertussis are not well understood, and as a result, the development of a new, improved vaccine is difficult. This paper describes the limitations of currently available vaccines, and outlines the problems associated with the introduction of new prophylactics, such as defining the bases of toxicity and efficacy and organizing meaningful clinical trials. Until these problems are resolved, efforts are needed to improve currently available whole-cell vaccines. The possible role of passive immunity in the control of the disease is also discussed.