Pertussis Essay

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Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a respiratory tract infection characterized by a violent cough. The violent cough incudes a series of severe uncontrollable coughing, hacking, or whooping. (1) Pertussis is a very contagious disease caused by bacteria named Bordetella pertussis, which is transmitted through fluids from sneezing or coughing around a person’s breathing space. The bacteria release toxins, damage cilia, and cause airways to swell.
The first outbreak of Pertussis occurred January 1, 1500. Pertussis was discovered around 1906 by French scientists Jules Bordet and Octave Gengou. Bordet isolated the bacterium and continuously studied the strand. However, the first vaccine was not created until January 1, 1920 (timetoast.com). Pertussis is the leading cause of numerous infant deaths. In 2016 alone, 15,737 cases of pertussis were reported and out of these, seven deaths occurred. (2) Pertussis, although extremely contagious, does not have an extensive background. Pertussis was first discovered in the sixteenth century (1). During this time period, vaccinations were limited. Nonetheless, when vaccinations …show more content…

(3) After two weeks, the symptoms are more severe and can range from vomiting to turning blue and/or whooping. Consequently, many people do not experience many symptoms and are often wrongly diagnosed. Pertussis is more frequently observed in young children than in adults. As a matter of fact, most adults are not diagnosed considering the majority do not experience any symptoms besides a hacking cough. (3) Pertussis is often diagnosed through multiple tests including blood tests and physical examinations which are unnecessary in situations where the whoop is present. (2) The most dependent test is made by the PCR or polymerase chain reaction. Mucus from the throat is used and combined with the

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