Matthieu Domenech de Cellès joins WHO expert panel on pertussis vaccines

The SAGE Working Group will support the development of global pertussis vaccine policies

Matthieu Domenech de Cellès has been appointed to the World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization in the Working Group on Pertussis Vaccines. The epidemiologist heads the Infectious Disease Epidemiology research group at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, where he focuses on the population biology of infectious diseases.

Pertussis, also called whooping cough, remains a significant global health challenge. The newly formed SAGE Working Group on Pertussis Vaccines is comprised of international experts in the field and aims to support the development of global pertussis vaccine policies. The Working Group is charged with:

• Evaluating global schedules and products for infant vaccination, with a focus on the impact of whole-cell and acellular pertussis vaccines on infant mortality and disease.
• Assessing the optimal settings for maternal acellular vaccination, along with its safety and effectiveness.
• Investigating the role of booster doses across different age groups—childhood, adolescence, and adulthood—in controlling outbreaks, epidemics, and reducing infant mortality.
• Identifying potential mitigation strategies for countries currently experiencing pertussis resurgence or outbreaks.

Over the past years, Matthieu Domenech de Cellès has published a significant body of work on pertussis. This includes recent publications on pertussis infection estimates in seroprevalence studies and maternal pertussis immunization and blunting of vaccine effectiveness. He will bring his research background to the Working Group, contributing to a comprehensive review of scientific evidence and programmatic considerations.

The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization was established in 1999. SAGE is the principal advisory group to WHO on vaccines and immunization, tasked with reviewing critical public health topics and providing evidence-based policy recommendations.

The WHO's recommendations on vaccination schedules are widely followed around the globe. For pertussis vaccines, the WHO recommends a primary series of three doses administered at six to eight weeks, 10 to 14 weeks, and 14 to 18 weeks of age. This schedule is currently practiced by most countries.