The aim of this virtual training is to provide participants with an in-depth understanding of whooping cough (pertussis) epidemiology, surveillance, and vaccination strategies. Participants will learn how genomic tools are used for surveillance, examine the epidemiology of recent outbreaks, and explore the public health impacts of vaccination, particularly in the context of pregnancy and early infancy. Additionally, practical sessions will provide hands-on experience in the rapid genotyping of Bordetella pertussis.

Dates and duration:
Monday 4th November from 9:00 to 12:30 (Session 1) and
Tuesday 5th November from 9:00 to 12:00 (Session 2).

Audience: Public health microbiologists, epidemiologists and bioinformaticians.

Objectives: Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Understand the global and European epidemiology of whooping cough and the structure of surveillance systems.
• Describe the genomic evolution of Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis under vaccine pressure.
• Recognize the spatial dynamics of Bordetella pertussis and its fitness changes induced by vaccines.
• Use genomic tools, including BIGSdb and GrapeTree, for rapid genotyping of B. pertussis to analyse vaccine antigens, antibiotic resistance, and genomic comparisons.
• Analyse the public health impact of vaccination, particularly maternal vaccination strategies to prevent infant pertussis.

Participation: This course is open for public enrolment.