Whooping Cough

Whooping cough is a serious infectious disease characterized by coughing fits so intense that the afflicted person has difficulty breathing. This disease is most serious in infants who are too young to be vaccinated and in young children who are unvaccinated. Whooping cough is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, which destroys ciliated cells in the respiratory tract that naturally protect against infections. Whooping Cough looks at the disease's symptoms and transmission, history, vaccine, and recent research.

Deadly diseases affect everyone. Although not all cases are fatal, each disease causes a degree of harm and discomfort to those whom it afflicts and sometimes can have long-lasting consequences. Each book in the series Deadly Diseases and Epidemics takes the reader through all aspects of a disease---from its history and causes or method of infection to its treatment and prevention. The books provide a foundation for understanding the basics of microbiology, immunology, and epidemiology.