Pertussis: Whooping Cough
Pertussis – Whooping cough
Pertussis (Whooping cough) is an extremely contagious, respiratory disease, which is caused by the bacterium Bordetella. It is estimated that around 200 infants under the age of 6 months who contract whooping cough will die from pneumonia or brain damage. The disease is spread by airborne droplets from the upper respiratory tract (when the infected person coughs or sneezes) and is highly contagious.
Describe the symptoms of Pertussis and any long-term effects on the human body. The illness often begins off similarly to a cold. It begins with a runny nose, sore or watery eyes and a small fever. After 3 to 7 days a cough develops which can last for several months however generally stays around for a few weeks. The …show more content…
Despite the obvious protection of the disease some parents decide not to vaccinate their child against pertussis for a number of reasons. One of these is the concern for their child’s safety, especially because pertussis is given to babies when they are very young to ensure their safety. Because it is very dangerous for young children, some people believe that the vaccine may overwhelm the baby’s immune system and that their immune systems aren’t mature enough. These people believe it is safer to delay vaccines until children get older, therefore exposing their baby to the risk of whooping cough that could potentially kill …show more content…
First and foremost, without the vaccine the child could get sick and face the risk of hospitalisation, brain damage, paralysis or even death which is a lot more of an issue than the actual vaccination. Also, as non-vaccinated children are at risk of developing diseases that means that the disease could have a comeback and spread. A recent outbreak of the pertussis disease was traced back to families who chose not to vaccinate their children and according to the 2009 study, children who are not immunised against pertussis are 23 times more likely to catch the disease also giving them a higher chance of spreading
Pertussis (Whooping cough) is an extremely contagious, respiratory disease, which is caused by the bacterium Bordetella. It is estimated that around 200 infants under the age of 6 months who contract whooping cough will die from pneumonia or brain damage. The disease is spread by airborne droplets from the upper respiratory tract (when the infected person coughs or sneezes) and is highly contagious.
Describe the symptoms of Pertussis and any long-term effects on the human body. The illness often begins off similarly to a cold. It begins with a runny nose, sore or watery eyes and a small fever. After 3 to 7 days a cough develops which can last for several months however generally stays around for a few weeks. The …show more content…
Despite the obvious protection of the disease some parents decide not to vaccinate their child against pertussis for a number of reasons. One of these is the concern for their child’s safety, especially because pertussis is given to babies when they are very young to ensure their safety. Because it is very dangerous for young children, some people believe that the vaccine may overwhelm the baby’s immune system and that their immune systems aren’t mature enough. These people believe it is safer to delay vaccines until children get older, therefore exposing their baby to the risk of whooping cough that could potentially kill …show more content…
First and foremost, without the vaccine the child could get sick and face the risk of hospitalisation, brain damage, paralysis or even death which is a lot more of an issue than the actual vaccination. Also, as non-vaccinated children are at risk of developing diseases that means that the disease could have a comeback and spread. A recent outbreak of the pertussis disease was traced back to families who chose not to vaccinate their children and according to the 2009 study, children who are not immunised against pertussis are 23 times more likely to catch the disease also giving them a higher chance of spreading