Pertussis: Whooping Cough

Cause: Whooping Cough, also known as Pertussis, is a highly contagious disease affecting the respiratory system (nose, throat, lungs and airways) and is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. The ‘whoop’ from the cough derives from the deep breaths at the end of each bout of coughing. Whooping cough is very infectious and affects individuals of all ages.

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a bacterium, Bordatella pertussis. In 2010 it affected 27, 5501 individuals and was responsible for 262 deaths in the United States. Bordatella pertussis colonizes in the cilia of the respiratory tract3 producing uncontrollable coughing with paroxysms (fits) followed with a high pitched intake of air creating a whoop sound, posttussive emesis (cough induced vomiting), and exhaustion.3 These symptoms can last up to 10 weeks.3 Adults can transfer Pertussis to infants who are not fully immunized, subsequently, they are at a greater risk and may have serious complications from Pertussis including pneumonia and death.4

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

Whooping cough, which is also known as, Pertussis, is caused by infection by the Bordetella Pertussis bacteria. A highly contagious bacterial disease affects the respiratory system and produces spasms of coughing that usually end in a high-pitched whooping sound.

What is pertussis, commonly known as “whooping cough”? Whooping cough is an infection of the respiratory

people are vaccinated and health or medical care is less accessible. Pertussis infects a large number of people yearly, and in part have killed many. Schools are also a place of concern for uninfected children to become infected. According to ("Old college try applying", 2015) schools and day cares have had the most concentrated number of cases of pertussis. Preventative measure are imperative so that children do not get the disease.

That being said, serious damage from vaccination is a rare occurrence (Malone and Hinaman). A Glanz study (2013) from the Vaccine Safety data link demonstrated a direct magnitude that as communities were under vaccinated for Pertussis, the risk of Pertusis increased. The study also showed a 28 times higher rate of Pertussis in children that had no Pertussis vaccination documentation (Glanz et al. 2913). This study as well as an intense list of data by the CDC emulates supportive data for the effectiveness of vaccinations.

The article Whooping Cough Mark Near, from the Fresno Bee, describes the conditions of this new occurring virus. According to the article, the

It is a small, fastidious gram-negative bacteria that easily invades respiratory tract producing a number of antigens and toxins such as pertussis toxin (PT), tracheal cytotoxin, filamentous hemagglutin and pertactin that binds and destroys the pharyngeal epithelial cells (Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, Bordatella Pertussis, p 206). As a result, triggers the immune system response. B. Pertussis portal of entry is through the mouth, nose and throat and it is primarily transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets with an infected individual or aerosol droplets and rarely fomites (Brunner & Suddarth 2010, p. 2149). Bordatella pertussis is a human disease and adolescents and adults are the main reservoirs (CDC, p. 206). The disease has high infectivity, high pathogenicity and low virulence.

Individuals with whooping cough normally spread the disease by coughing or sniffling while in close contact with others, who then take in the bacteria that cause the disease. Numerous children who get whooping hack are contaminated by the people who are around them the most (i.e. parents, siblings and caretakers) who may not even know they have the illness. Whooping cough causes extreme hacking spells, which can end in a "whooping" sound when the kid breathes in.

Whooping cough (pertussis) is a serious, transmissible respiratory infection that is caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacterium. The disease is characterized by cold symptoms at first and develops to prolong coughing with a whooping sound made due to heavy breathing, sneezing, running nose and low body temperature. The disease is airborne and spread when an infected person sneezes or coughs and the close person breathe in the air. The disease mainly touches infants who are below six months old and children who are between 11 to 18 years of age whose immunity against the disease is dwindling, as its effectiveness lasts for four years. A number of Fallsburg Elementary School kids are in this age bracket, hence are likely to contract the disease.

Pertussis is transmitted through water droplets of an infected person coughing, sneezing, or laughing. Because of the amount and harshness of the cough, there may be thousands of droplets released at one time. People who are in close proximity to an infected person can then become infected by direct contact. Most infants acquire pertussis by secondary transmission by family members because it is often difficult to diagnose pertussis in an adult; it is normally thought to just be a cold in adults.

It does not invade cells of the respiratory tract nor does it spread to deeper tissues. Instead, it colonizes and multiplies on the mucus of the membrane of the respiratory tract. It is powerful enough to immobilize the cilia and can cause destruction of the cilia. The destruction of the cilia results in the build up of matter in the lower airways and causes coughing and inflammation. Being that humans are the only reservoirs of this bacterium, Bordetella pertussis causes the “whooping cough”, which is an acute respiratory infection of severe coughing episodes. The contagious disease, pertussis, is primarily a toxin-mediated disease, in which it produces toxins that paralyze the cilia and inflame the respiratory tract. The whooping cough develops within 5 to 10 days and begins with cold like symptoms. It is mostly dangerous in babies, due to the fact that it they do not show symptoms of coughing, instead they stop breathing. To diagnosis the disease, a culture is conducted from nasal mucous or a polymerase chain reaction test is done. A quicker method to find Bordetella Pertussis is using monoclonal antibodies against the bacterium’s virulence factors. The antibodies that are added onto the disk and peroxidase substrate solution is added, the bacterium is then identified used a direct fluorescent antibody assay. Pertussis causes rapid coughing, until the air is done from the lungs and the body is forced to

B. pertussis is the causative agent for whooping cough, an acute respiratory infection marked by severe, spasmodic coughing episodes (Bordetella Species, 2004). B. pertussis is spread by direct contact with droplets from coughing by an infected person. It can continue to transmit the bacteria three weeks after coughing spells have stopped. Whooping cough can be carried by individuals who are immune and transmitted to those who are not. The epidemic cycles in most countries is every few years (Bordetella pertussis, 2007).

Pertussis disease of more formally known to the world as whooping cough disease in the United States, has had many outbreaks within the last few years. This disease is reported every three to five years with more frequent outbreaks. In 2012, the most recent peak year, in which there was 48,277 cases of whooping cough reported that year. But that was only the number of reported cases there was many more cases unreported. There is a control group targeted to help control efforts of outbreak everywhere with this disease.