Pertussis

• Pertussis - Whooping Cough
• Nils Rosen von Rosenstein

  • Said that pertussis first appeared in frank 1414
• Guillaume de Baillou

  • First to describe outbreaks of pertussis in the 16th century.
• Jules Bordet and Octave Gengou - First isolated pertussis in 1960
• Bortedella Pertussis

  • Small, Aerobic gram-negative bacteria non-motile, coccobaccili with outer pili.
• Bortedella Parapertussis

  • A  bacterium that is similar to B.
  • Pertussis and causes a pertussis-like illness, but does not produce pertussis toxin because it lacks the expression of the gene coding for this toxin
• Mode of Transmission

  • Airborne droplets
  • close contact
• Reservior of pertussis - humans
• Communicability of pertussis - highly communicable
• Pathogenesis of Pertussis

  1. Transmission of the bacteria by aerosols.
  2. Adhesion of B. pertussis on ciliated epithelial cells.
  3. Multiplication of the bacteria and increase in the secretion of mucus.
  4. Paralysis and destruction of the ciliated epithelial cells.
  5. Secretion of other toxins, which cause systemic reactions.
• Incubation Period


  7 through 10 days (range, 4 through 21 days)
• Catarrhal Stage


  • Insidious onset, similar to the common cold
  • 1-2 weeks
• Catarrhal Stage


  • Low-grade fever
  • Mild, occasional cough (which gradually becomes more severe)
  • Apnea (in infants)
• Paroxysmal Stage


  • Paroxysms of numerous, rapid coughs due to difficulty expelling thick mucus from the tracheobronchial tree
  • Long inspiratory effort accompanied by a high-pitched whoop at the end of the paroxysms
  • Cyanosis
  • Vomiting
  • Exhaustion
• Convalescent Stage


  • Gradual recovery
  • Less persistent, paroxysmal coughs that disappear in 2-3 weeks
• Laboratory testing of pertussis

  • Based on clinical history of signs and symptom
• Culture

  • Considered the gold standard laboratory test and the most specific of the laboratory tests for pertussis.
• Serology

  • More useful in diagnosing pertussis during the later phase of the disease when both culture and PCR are likely to be negative.
• Immunity of Pertussis - Not permanent\