Pertussis in young infants: a severe vaccine-preventable disease

Abstract

Pertussis (also known as whooping cough) is a highly contagious disease mainly caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It is a strictly human disease and affects all ages. However, the morbidity and mortality associated with pertussis are disproportionally high in young infants — the age group in which we observe virtually all hospitalizations, complications, and deaths related to pertussis.