Pertussis Vaccination Paper

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No. While if it was possible herd immunity would prevent an epidemic of Pertussis but it is not possible. The factors that prevent herd immunity from being possible include the fact that the vaccinations wear off over time and it is easily spread (“Pertussis Frequently,” 2017).

There are several diseases around the world that have not gone away in the last few decades. For instance, HIV, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and more commonly, the Flu, and Measles are deadly diseases that still exist today. However, getting vaccinated will help fight off the disease as the vaccine releases antibodies into your bloodstream. Experts from MedlinePlus say that Pertussis, Diphtheria, and Tetanus are caused by bacteria. Diphtheria and pertussis can be spread to people from coughing and sneezing. Tetanus enters through cut and wounds. Also according to MedlinePlus, “Before vaccines, as many as 200,000 cases a year of diphtheria, 200,000 cases of pertussis, and hundreds of cases of tetanus, were reported in the United States each

Also, the analysis depicts the geographic distributions of pertussis mortality across the United States. During 2000-2010, 184 deaths were directly attributed to pertussis, which occurred only in California, Pennsylvania and Texas.2 California had the highest morality rate, at 35 deaths in the ten-year period.2 Notably, the White population of reported pertussis morality was at the highest at 160 of 184 deaths.2 Also, there has been an increase in reported cases in the United Sates, in 2000 there were 12 reported deaths and in 2010 there were 26 deaths.2 94 percent of the pertussis related mortality occurred in infants (less than 1 years old) who are not fully immunized.

Many infectious diseases that once quickly spread and easily killed have been controlled or eradicated due to vaccinations. The efficacy of vaccines in reducing morbidity and mortality, particularly in children, is undeniable. Per the World Health Organization, childhood vaccinations prevent approximately 2-3 million deaths per year worldwide (WHO, 2016). In the United States, the value of immunizations is clearly displayed by comparing pre-vaccine era morbidity/mortality rates to post-vaccine era in regards to vaccine-preventable diseases. For example, prior to the diphtheria vaccine in the 1920’s, 206,000 people annually contracted the disease resulting in 15,520 deaths (History of Vaccines, 2009). However, between 2004 and 2014, only

In 2010, South Carolina had 391 confirmed and probable Pertussis cases reported as of mid-December. This demonstrates the cyclical nature of Pertussis incidence for that is also seen nationally (South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC, 2010) The putative reasons for the state and national increases in total Pertussis incidence as well as the increasing adolescent and adult proportions are enumerated below.(www.scdhec.com)

Pertussis is caused by Bordetella Pertussis, which attacks the lungs.While the bacteria are in the body it restricts airflow due to the excess mucus stuck in the passageways. The disease is highly contagious, fluid from the mouth and nose is where you are more likely to find traces of Pertussis. You have a higher chance of getting the infection if you have been around someone who already has it and you've come in contact with their sneeze, cough, and/or tears. Pertussis is separated into three stages: catarrhal, paroxysmal, and convalescent. In the catarrhal stage, you will begin to notice the child coughing, sneezing, and possibly run a fever. You will assume that your child has a common cold but it last around 1-2 weeks and will progress

For instance, pertussis, or commonly known as whooping cough, “Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection (cdc.gov).” This infection may resemble a common cold; however, it quickly turns into a more serious illness, causing babies or those with compromised immune systems to stop breathing and can become fatal. Babies cannot receive this vaccination until they are two months of age. Most babies who have whooping cough catch it from their caregivers or other family members. Whooping cough spreads easily from person to person, through coughing and sneezing, usually people who spread whooping cough are unaware that they even have it. The best way to prevent this is to receive the pertussis vaccination, DTaP in children and TDaP in adults. If you have received the vaccination in the past, it is always best to ask your health care provider if you are in need of a booster vaccination. Much like other vaccinations, the boosters are just as important as the initial vaccination. The immunity can wear off over time leaving one susceptible to the

During the meeting, we will consult with each other on how we can support each other. Because there are only three of us, we need to ensure that each one of us is supported, and that we may need to double up on responsibilities.We all agreed at our week 2 meeting that the pertussis project is going be a positive and fun experience.

Children are a vulnerable group within a population with respect to diseases, which then increases their susceptibility to various illnesses, as adults generally have a stronger immune system as compared to children. Steens, Beasley, Tsui, and Lee (1975) argued that children are more prone to be a carrier of diseases than adults (as cited in Anderson and May, 1985). With that being said, the focus remains on vaccinating children as the majority are in school for a great amount of time where they are in proximity of one another, the continuous sharing of items, and are usually inconsistent with hand hygiene. Under those circumstances, Anderson and May (1985) found that in children aged 5-15 infection rates would increase as a result of close contact within schools. Children who do not receive scheduled vaccinations put themselves, as well as others at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases, as infants who are too young of age to receive vaccines, children, elderly, and community members who have compromised immune systems most vulnerable to acquiring vaccine-preventable diseases. Omer, Salmon, Orenstein, DeHart, Halsey (2009) argued that outbreaks of diseases regularly begins with individuals who refuse vaccinations, as it spreads within communities and other populations. Combining these factors, there is a high possibility of outbreaks in schools of life threatening illnesses such as measles, mumps, and polio that unfortunately has taken many lives retrospectively. For

Pertussis is an extremely contagious infection of the respiratory tract that results in the greatest mortality and morbidity in children. The infection is caused by Bordetella pertussis, a gram-negative bacterium that settles and replicates in the ciliated epithelium of the respiratory tract resulting in adhesions and severe coughing episodes. Pertussis is also known as “whooping cough” and is characterized by three chronological stages: the catarrhal, paroxysmal, and convalescent stages. The initial signs of infection occur in the catarrhal stage and consist of upper respiratory tract symptoms such as rhinitis, sneezing, cough, and low-grade fever. The paroxysmal stage follows approximately two to four weeks later and is described by paroxysms of ten to thirty coughs ending with the classic “whoop” secondary to the loud inspiration. During this stage vomiting frequently occurs after the paroxysms and the most severe paroxysms occur at nighttime. If pertussis lingers untreated the paroxysm stage may remain present up to three months. The last stage is the convalescent stage and this is usually when the symptoms of pertussis fade.

Moreover, according to Russell Blaylock, MD, herd immunity conception is “one of the grand lies of the vaccine program” (Obukhanych). According to herd immunity principle, 92-94 percent of population needs to be vaccinated in order to prevent contagious diseases from spreading. Even with 95-97% of vaccinated population, California being a world’s top tourist destination will always be at risk for outbreaks because over six millions tourists visit California each year. As vaccine immunity is only short-term in contrast to disease-conferred immunity which last a lifetime, CDC came up with booster shots. But even despite of accepting “cradle-to-grave shots” of Pertussis vaccine, the disease “still persists after more than sixty years of widespread

With the continuous notifications and modifications, pertussis immunization program is well-established in the country and the coverage of the vaccination is high that reaches 92.2% in the age-group of the children before and at 12 months. The coverage of the program reaches at 91.7% in age-group of the children at 5 years or less (Pillsbury, Quinn & McIntyre,

Early symptoms may include but are not limited to: runny nose, low-grade lingering fever, coughing, and apnea. That may not sound very bad but because pertussis in its early stages appears to be more like the common cold, it is often not diagnosed until the more severe symptoms appear. Pertussis can also cause violent coughing until the air is gone from the lungs. This extreme coughing can result in throwing up and exhaustion. The first pertussis vaccine was developed in the 1930s. The vaccine was in full use by the mid-1940s.

Now that most children are immunized prior to starting school, there is a higher (not the highest) percentage of pertussis cases seen among adolescents and adults (Medlineplus, 2013). Consequently, adolescents and adults are a significant source for transmission to unvaccinated young infants (WHO, 2010). Pertussis is most fatal in infants and young children less than one year of age (CDC Pertussis, 2013). Severe disease and death have been reported mainly during the first weeks and months of life. In older children, adolescents, and adults’ pertussis often goes unrecognized (WHO, 2010).