Severe Pertussis is 1.5 times more likely if poor vitamin D receptor

Association of Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphism with Susceptibility to Symptomatic Pertussis.

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 19;11(2):e0149576. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149576. eCollection 2016.

Han WG1, Hodemaekers HM2, Nagarajah B2, Poelen MM1, Helm K1, Janssen R2, van Els CA1.

Pertussis, caused by infection with the gram negative B. pertussis bacterium, is a serious respiratory illness that can last for months. While B. pertussis infection rates are estimated between 1-10% in the general population, notifications of symptomatic pertussis only comprise 0.01-0.1% indicating that most individuals clear B. pertussis infections without developing (severe) clinical symptoms. In this study we investigated whether genetic risk factors are involved in the development of symptomatic pertussis upon B. pertussis infection. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes, MBL2, IL17A, TNFα, VDR, and IL10 were genotyped in a unique Dutch cohort of symptomatic clinically confirmed (ex-)pertussis patients and in a Dutch population cohort. Of the seven investigated SNPs in five genes, a polymorphism in the Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene (rs10735810) was associated with pertussis. The VDR major allele and its homozygous genotype were more present in the symptomatic pertussis patient cohort compared to the control population cohort. Interestingly, the VDR major allele correlated also with the duration of reported pertussis symptoms. Vitamin D3 (VD3) and VDR are important regulators of immune activation. Altogether, these findings suggest that polymorphisms in the VDR gene may affect immune activation and the clinical outcome of B. pertussis infection.

PMID: 26894582 PMCID: PMC4760950

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• pertussis = whooping cough

• A poor Vitamin D Receptor restricts the amount of vitamin D which actually gets to cells (where the benefit happens)

• There is a greatly increased risk for over 30 diseases associated with poor Vitamin D Receptors

Vitamin D Receptor category

See also web

• Treatment of Acute Pertussis Infection - Dr. Malone, Nov 2025 "The failure of acellular vaccines (DTaP and Tdap) to confer lasting immunity has refocused attention on effective treatment strategies for children who still contract the disease"

• Waning Immunity and Falling Vaccination Rates Fuel Pertussis Outbreaks KFF Nov 2025

  *In the first three months of 2025, the U.S. tallied 6,600 cases — four times last year’s pace and 25 times 2023’s. Several states are posting their highest case totals in a decade, and outbreaks from Louisiana to South Dakota to Idaho make clear this surge isn’t regional. It’s everywhere.

  *The resurgence of whooping cough has no single cause. Instead, several problems are occurring at once: falling vaccine coverage, only about 60% of pregnant women receiving Tdap, waning immunity, improved testing, and early signs of antibiotic resistance.

• Measles Is Just The Start: Whooping Cough Outbreaks -- And Deaths -- Are Rising, Too Forbes Feb 2015

  • Whooping cough has been increasing along with 30 other diseases associated with low vitamin D in recent decades
  • As vitamin D levels decrease the importance of the Vitamin D Receptor problems become apparant.