Essay On Pertussis

Pertussis, or as some call it whooping cough, is a well-known childhood respiratory infection that is caused by the bacterium bordetella pertussis (CDC). When an individual attempts to inhale air, the noise that is produced due to the inflamed and swollen laryngeal structures is where the name Whooping cough originates from. When someone exhibits vomiting while coughing, high fever, trouble while breathing, and or cyanosis they may be affected by pertussis (MedlinePlus). The majority of deaths continue to occur among infants younger than 3 months of age. The incidence rate of pertussis among infants exceeds that of all other age groups ("Pertussis --- United States, 2001--2003." Par. 3). Individuals that are female and white have a greater chance of being infected ("Pertussis --- United States, 2001--2003." Par. 4), as well as individuals who live in impoverished or urban areas (Siegal et al.).
The bacteria bordetella pertussis attaches to the cilia in the respiratory tract causing it to release some sort of toxin. This toxin interrupts
Pertussis is also spread through direct contact with fluids from nose or mouth. Whooping Cough typically occurs in three stages. Stage one typically last for about 1-2 weeks. After the 1-2 weeks, stage two also known as paroxysms begins. Paroxysms are excessive continuous coughs that happen when thick mucus is being expelled from airway into the lungs. When someone is suffering from paroxysms, they typically display signs of cyanosis due to loss of oxygen. Sometimes the rapid coughing can lead to vomiting as well. This stage can last anywhere between 1-6 weeks and can even exceed to 10 weeks. In the beginning, it may seem as though the individual is normal in between episodes. Stage 3 is supposed to be the recovery stage where the paroxysms begin to decrease gradually over 2-3 weeks