Early symptoms of pertussis are a runny nose, low grade fever, and a mild cough. However, as the disease continues the symptoms expand to include coughing fits followed by the high pitched ''Whoop'', vomiting and exhaustion.
Bordetella pertussis is typically treated with antibiotics, such as azithromycin or erythromycin, to reduce the severity and duration of symptoms. Supportive care, such as rest, hydration, and monitoring of symptoms, is also important in managing the illness. Additionally, vaccination with the pertussis vaccine is a key preventive measure.
Yes, Bordetella pertussis produces an exotoxin called pertussis toxin. This toxin plays a key role in the pathogenesis of whooping cough by interfering with the host's immune response and contributing to the characteristic symptoms of the disease.
Pertussis (whooping cough) can cause serious illness in infants, children and adults. The disease usually starts with cold-like symptoms and maybe a mild cough or fever. After 1 to 2 weeks, severe coughing can begin. Unlike the common cold, pertussis can become a series of coughing fits that continues for weeks.
Adults and adolescents are the primary reservoir for pertussis. Pertussis is spread by contact with airborne discharges from the mucous membranes of infected people, who are most contagious during the catarrhal stage. Because the symptoms during the catarrhal stage are nonspecific, pertussis is usually not diagnosed until the appearance of the characteristic cough of the paroxysmal stage.
Pertussis affects babies age 1 or younger most severely and can be fatal for this population. Pertussis is transmitted via respiratory droplets and direct contact with sputum. A person with pertussis is most contagious before the onset of symptoms. After the manifestation of the disease, the person is much less contagious, but can still transmit the disease for over 3 weeks.
The causative organism is Bordetella pertussis.
B. pertussis causes its most severe symptoms by attaching itself to those cells in the respiratory tract which have cilia.
Whooping cough or Pertussis, is a highly contagious disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.
pertussis
Whooping cough is the common name for pertussis.
pertussis
The pertussis bacteria was discovered in 1906. Two French scientists made the discovery of pertussis, which is commonly known as whooping cough.