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Description

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the respiratory system. It is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis and is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms of whooping cough include a severe, persistent cough that can last for weeks or months, followed by a “whoop” sound when the person breathes in. Other symptoms include runny nose, fever, and fatigue. Whooping cough can be serious, especially in infants and young children, and can lead to pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and even death. Vaccination is the best way to prevent whooping cough.

Synonyms

• pertussis
• whooping cough

Basic Lab Tests (measurements)

• serum
  •      Bordetella parapertussis antibody
  •      Bordetella pertussis antibody
  •      Bordetella pertussis IgM antibody
  •      iron saturation
  •      Bordetella pertussis IgG antibody
  •      iron
• whole blood
  •      atypical lymphocytes
  •      lymphocytes
  •      leukocytes

Detailed Disease and Condition Information (use the search buttons below to find details on these topics)
All of the following must be considered when interpreting clinical findings and are too extensive to be covered on this site: