Thelansis

 Pertussis (commonly known as whooping cough), a respiratory infection, is caused by the gram-negative coccobacillus Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis. The infection is spread through airborne droplets and is highly contagious, with a tendency to affect 100% of non-immune household contacts. Protection from vaccination may wane to 50% within 12 years of completion, and immunocompromised individuals may also contract Bordetella bronchiseptica, commonly known as "kennel cough." Risk factors for acquiring pertussis include pregnancy, epidemic exposure, lack of immunization, and close contact with an infected individual. The organism adheres to ciliated respiratory epithelial cells, causing local inflammatory changes in the mucosal lining and releasing toxins that act locally and systemically. Pertussis presents similarly to other respiratory infections but has a distinct progression through three phases and a persistent cough without fever. Infants and older adul...