Taking a Look at Pertussis

No. It is hard to diagnose Pertussis early because the symptoms are the same as the common cold and only until the later stages of the disease is it normally

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

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.

Queenan, A. M., Cassiday, P. K., & Evangelista, A. (n.d.). Pertactin-Negative Variants of Bordetella pertussis in the United States — NEJM. Retrieved February 8, 2017, from

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.

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

Have you had a cough and wondered what it is. After reading this research you will always question yourself and your child. Whooping cough also known as Pertussis is a highly contagious disease. This disease is one of the most commonly occurring in the United States. The Mayo clinic which is a major health care clinic reports that in the first half of the 20th century whooping cough was the leading cause of childhood illness and death in the U.S. How can a cough be so deadly? What do you do to treat whooping cough? Where did the cough come from and what are the symptoms?

“Pertussis which is commonly known as whooping cough, is also a respiratory illness caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Before vaccines to prevent the disease were available, pertussis was a major cause of morbidity and mortality in U.S. children (McGuness C. B. & et al 2013)”.

Before there was a vaccine for the measles, hundreds of people died from the disease each year and now today, it is very rare for there to be a case seen by doctors (CDC para. 2). The result of not vaccinating for pertussis can be fatal, here is an example of why people should vaccinate for it. During one epidemic in the mid-1970s, there were more than 100,000 cases and 36 deaths caused by pertussis, due to the decline of vaccinations for the belief that they weren't safe. The potential impacts of not vaccinating for pertussis may be coughing or vomiting episodes and for infants, pneumonia, brain damage, mental retardation, and

In June of 2014 Pertussis, or the more commonly known name of Whooping Cough, hit California infecting almost 800 children in only three weeks. The California Department of Health proclaimed it an epidemic after the baseline level of Pertussis in the state was five times higher than normal. (CDC, 2014) Pertussis is an extremely contagious respiratory tract infection caused by the bacteria Bordetella Pertussis. It is spread from person to person through small droplets expelled during coughing or sneezing and close contact with other humans. The incubation period between the exposures to symptoms is generally 5-10 days. Small infants may be exposed to Pertussis from siblings, daycare providers or even parents. Pertussis usually affects infants and children between the ages of 7-16 years but can also affect adults. It can be deadly in children under one year of age.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection affecting the upper respiratory tract (Pluta, Lynm & Glass, 2010). The bacteria that causes this infection is called Bordetella pertussis, producing the strongest symptoms in unvaccinated young children. This infection is characterised by a long-lasting wet cough, fits of hacking, a ‘whooping’ sound on inspiration (Pluta, Lynm & Glass, 2010), and often vomiting following the coughing (Bently, Pinfield & Rouse, 2013). Pertussis is highly contagious, the bacteria transmitted by airborne droplets released when infected individuals sneeze or cough (Chivima, 2011). Pertussis has a 7-10 day incubation period and the disease can last from 6-8 weeks,