Pertussis

Pertussis (commonly known as whooping cough) is a highly contagious bacterial disease of the respiratory tract. It occurs mainly in infants and young children, and is easily transmitted from person to person, mainly through droplets. The first symptoms generally appear 7-10 days after infection, and include mild fever, runny nose, and cough, which in typical cases gradually develops into a paroxysmal cough followed by a whooping noise. Pertussis can be prevented by immunization.