Pertussis - Bordetella pertussis Flashcards
What type of organism is B. pertussis?
aerobic, gram negative, coccobacilli, fastidious, requires special media to grow
How does pertussis cause disease?
the bacteria attaches to the cilia of respiratory epithelial cells, produce toxins that paralyze the cilia and cause inflammation of the respiratory tract
Can pertussis invade tissue?
yes, it has been found in alveolar macrophages
What are the virulence factors for pertussis?
toxin, filamentous hemagglutin, agglutinogens, adenylate cyclase, pertactin, and tracheal cytotoxin
What are the symptoms of pertussis?
Early symptoms last 1-2 wks: runny nose, low-grade fever, apnea
What are the 3 stages of pertussis?
Catarrhal, paroxysmal, convalescent
What happens in the catarrhal stage?
common cold symptoms
What happens in paroxysmal stage?
coughing persists and severity increases. Paroxysm is a long series of coughs during which the patient may develop gagging and cyanosis. Complications are more likely during this stage.
What happens in the convalescent stage?
cough begins to subside; episodic coughing may reappear w/ subsequent URIs during convalescence
How is pertussis spread?
only found in human and spread person to person by coughing or sneezing
When do symptoms of pertussis usually develop?
within 7-10 days after being exposed but sometimes not for as long as 6 weeks
How can pertussis be Dxed?
-history, PE, lab tests, culture, PCT, blood test, CXR
What is the vaccine for pertussis?
DTaP - 5 doses, Tdap for booster shots for adults. aP= acellular Pertussis
Why isn’t the original whole-cell pertussis vaccine used anymore?
b/c 20% of kids who received the vaccine got side effects
