Pertussis
Disease Fact Sheet (PDF 15 KB)
Pertussis, most commonly known as whooping cough, is an infectious
disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, that can last
for 100 days.
Prior to the availability of the pertussis vaccine in the 1940s, more than
200,000 cases of pertussis were reported each year. Use of the vaccine has
created more than a 98% decrease in incidence of the illness.
Pertussis still remains a major health concern today, with an estimated
355,000 deaths worldwide each year.
Multiple outbreaks occur in Boulder County. These outbreaks occur
most commonly among people aged 10-19 years.
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For children younger than six years of age,
pertussis vaccine (DTaP) is given in a series of five injections, in
combination with diphtheria and tetanus.
A pertussis vaccine
(Tdap) is now also available for older children 10 years of
age or more and adults up to 64 years of age.
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