Whooping cough is clinically known as Pertussis, and is caused by a bacteria called Bordetella Pertussis. Last summer, there was an increased number of cases in the state of Vermont compared to other years. It is an illness that is most dangerous in young children and infants; however, it can also affect unvaccinated school age children and teens. When I was in high school, I was at a private school that allowed unvaccinated students, and there were two different outbreaks of whooping cough while I was in school. It is important to raise awareness of this illness because treatment must come before the characteristic cough to be effective. This condition is preventable by a vaccine, but it is also important for adults to get booster shots to make help increase their children's protection.
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Ali
ReplyDeleteYou blog posting has a very interesting and important topic-pertussis. According to CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reported cases of pertussis vary from year to year and tend to peak every 3-5 years. More than 41,000 cases of pertussis were provisionally reported across the United States during 2012, including 18 deaths. The majority of deaths continue to occur among infants younger than 3 months of age. The best way to prevent pertussis is to get vaccinated. Adults get Tdap in place of one of their regular tetanus boosters—the Td shot that is recommended for adults every 10 years. However, the dose of Tdap can be given no matter when the last Td shot was received.
Reference:
www.cdc.gov/Features/Pertussis -