The article, published in F1000 Research, points to the differences in mucosal immunity between whole-cell pertussis (wP) vaccines and the newer acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines, first introduced in the 1990s, as playing a pivotal role in the resurgence of the disease.

“This disease is back because we didn’t really understand how our immune defenses against whooping cough worked, and did not understand how the vaccines needed to work to prevent it,” said Christopher J. Gill, associate professor of global health and lead author of the article. “Instead we layered assumptions upon assumptions, and are now find ourselves in the uncomfortable position of admitting that we may made some crucial errors. This is definitely not where we thought we’d be in 2017.”

Vaccines Creating Resistant Strains

There seems to be confusion about the Tdap/Dtap/aP/DTP vaccines. These vaccines don't shed like live attenuated virus vaccines. Pertussis is a bacteria. What happens is the vaccinated end up harboring the bacteria in their throats without illness symptoms. They become asymptomatic carriers. When someone knows they are sick, they usually stay home. The vaccine is also creating mutant resistant strains of pertussis. In 2010 81% of pertussis cases (age 18 and under) were in vaccinated individuals. Every year has high percentages of vaccinated infected. Here's more information: