The guidance illustrates the growing chasm between the medical organization and the federal health agency.
Infants born to mothers vaccinated during pregnancy are less likely to contract whooping cough, develop complications, and die of the disease than those without such protection, the report suggests.
Diphtheria poses a moderate risk to Africa, after 29,000 suspected cases with 1,420 deaths have been reported in 8 nations since January 2025.
Experts say they expect the findings to show how effectively the vaccine reduces pertussis infections, hospitalizations, and deaths among infants.
But vaccine uptake was suboptimal, particularly for the flu vaccine.
One study found fairly high rates of flu, mumps, and hepatitis A, and the other found that only 28% of adults have been vaccinated against tetanus and diphtheria.
Childhood vaccination has ensured that diphtheria and tetanus are "incredibly rare," the authors say.
The CDC advised clinicians to consider H5N1 avian flu in patients who have acute respiratory illness symptoms or conjunctivitis with relevant exposure, including to raw milk.
The authors also identify a genetic link between the 2022 strain and an epidemic in Germany this year.
The CDC recommends that healthcare providers use the Tdap vaccine rather than the Td vaccine in patients without a pertussis vaccine contraindication.
