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.

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

All too often we hear on the news of the devastating effects of a disease that could have been prevented by vaccines, but because of parents refusal to vaccinate their infants and children, public health professionals are now confronted with a health crisis. The importance of vaccinations is to provide children with added protection because of a young, developing immune system. Consequently, vaccines will help in boosting the immune system in recognizing and protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, mumps, and pertussis, also known as whooping cough.1 For example, pertussis, a bacterial infection that is preventable by vaccines, has infected 16 million persons worldwide, and causes about 195,000 deaths

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 were also similar cases in Japan and Sweden (Turkington and Ashby). Experts came to the conclusion that the lack of vaccines brought back pertussis in all three cases (Turkington and Ashby).

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.

I think that perhaps in third world countries it may be a ramped problem do to the fact that most people are not vaccinated against it. Even then, the only people who are usually affected by the disease are children under 2 years old. They are the main targets of this disease because they do not have adequate immune systems to fight of the bacteria. Now maybe back in the 1900's Whooping cough would have been an epidemic because of their very limited amount of technology and they would not have known how to treat the disease or how to contain it. Despite out new technology, get a grasp on Pertussis, it seems to spread even if a person has been vaccinated. Curious enough that the schools have started vaccinating for Pertussis and started giving out the shot like it was candy, not even worried about the effect that it would have on the population of school kids that have had the shot. Some case kids that have had “Whooping Cough” are being re-vaccinated and

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 question left to understand is how to prevent the spread of pertussis to those under one year of age and to those unable to receive the vaccine. Prevention would require different methods to stop the spread of pertussis. Wagner and Clodfelter (2014) explained using simple techniques such as hand

On April 19, 1982, a televised documentary titled Vaccine Roulette aired showing the world the severe side effects DTP was causing on children and scientists opinions against the vaccine. What Vaccine Roulette purposely forgot to mention to nations of concerned, watchful parents was that the DTP vaccine nearly extinct the pertussis virus and that they had taken the answers of scientists and cropped their answers to best fit their case. As a British epidemiologist previously stated, “Once again the media have succeeded in denting parents confidence in childhood immunization” (Conis 209). Shortly after this documentary aired, vaccine compensation programs were established to protect those who unfortunately had a severe reaction to a vaccine and new and improved vaccines were formulated, tested, and released for administration to the

pertussis was a universal disease of early childhood. The disease was on the rise in the early 1900’s but because of medical advancement with vaccinations the disease took a dramatic stop. This however was only relevant to the regions that had the resources for the vaccinations. In the UK before immunization was available there was an epidemic every 3-4 years. About 8 in 10 children had whooping cough by the time they were 5 years old (Kenney, 2015). After the immunization the numbers fell greatly. Worldwide, B pertussis is still a problem to all the areas that don’t have the means to obtain any form to fight off the disease. Though vaccines have been in use for 20 years, new data is emerging on their effectiveness and durability of protection and how it can have an impact on the resurgence of

Whooping cough is a bacterial upper respiratory infection that leads to episodes of violent coughing. The disease got its name because of the characteristic sound that is made when affected individuals attempt to inhale; the “whoop” originates from the inflammation and swelling of the voice box that vibrates when too much air comes in when one breathes after coughing. (Medline plus) Whooping cough is a very contagious disease. It spreads through close contact that includes a transferring of oral secretions or respiratory droplets from one person to another. So it's easily spread through the cough, especially when people are in close contact, like living in the same house with a person who has whooping cough. It can also spread through sneezes or anything that causes a secretion of respiratory fluids. (CDC) the people whom can be affected are children who have not been immunized or people whose last shot of the immunization was done ten or more years previously. There is evidence that suggests the first outbreaks I whooping cough occurred in the 16th century. The bacterium that causes the infection was not found until the beginning of the 1900's.

The vaccines is the substance that provide immunity against one or more diseases but some children can not be cured of PERTUSSIS. Pertussis causes small pus filled with pumps on the skin, infection of cowpox created immunity against this virus. In the 2012 there were nearly 50,000 cases in the U.S and 20 deaths. Babies too young to get pertussis shot may have NO PROTECTION. In 2011 there were over 30,000 Measles cases across Europe. Measles is a inflammation of the lungs, lots of coughing, commonly affects infants and young Children. Thousands had serious complications; eight died. In 2012, the outbreak continued in the United Kingdom. In 2013, it made the leap to the United States. A young American traveled from London to Brooklyn, infected with the

Attention Getter: On January 6th, 2012, Brady Alcaide, a 6 week old baby, was admitted to the emergency room in Springfield, Massechusettes with a fever of 104 degrees. After testing negative for the flu, and ridded of his fever, Brady and his family were sent home. Three weeks later, Brady Alcaide-now only 9 weeks old-died. Brady had been a victim of pertussis, or whooping cough, which is a preventable bacterial disease that has been on the rise in recent decades. (Zimmerman, 2012)