Whooping Cough |
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Whooping
cough, also known as pertussis,
is a highly infectious disease of
the upper respiratory tract. It
is often difficult to diagnose whooping
cough because the symptoms are extremely
similar to those of the common cold
and cough. It can cause serious
complications if it is left untreated,
but there is a vaccine that can
prevent this disease in most cases.
Before a vaccination for this disease
was introduced, whooping cough was
one of the most common childhood
diseases and a major cause of childhood
deaths in the United States. There
has been a significant reduction
in the amount of deaths caused by
whooping cough because of the widespread
use of pertussis-only vaccines as
well as combination vaccines for
tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.
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Causes and Risk Factors
Whooping
cough is caused by the Bordetella
pertussis bacterium. These bacteria
affect the upper respiratory tract
(mainly the trachea and bronchi).
The infection spreads when the droplets
of respiratory secretions are coughed
or sneezed into the air by an infected
person.
The bacteria that cause whooping
cough multiply rapidly when they
enter the airways and the toxins
that are produced by these bacteria
lower the immunity of the respiratory
tract and make the environment hospitable
for harmful germs.
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Additionally,
a thick layer of mucus forms inside
of the airways, which causes the infected
individual to cough uncontrollably in
order to breathe. Whooping cough typically
affects very young children, especially
those under the age of one year old,
because they have probably not been
vaccinated against this disease or have
been given an insufficient dose of the
vaccination. In some cases, teenagers
also become afflicted with whooping
cough because the effects of their vaccinations
may fade away.
For
this reason, pediatricians recommend
that teenagers are given a booster shot
that includes a pertussis vaccine. Whooping
cough is a highly contagious disease
and anyone who has not been immunized
against this disease may contract it
upon coming into contact with an infected
individual.
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