Pertussis or Whooping cough

Generalities
Agent	Bacteria: Bordetella pertussis (the bacillus of pertussis) or Bordetella parapertussis (causes parapertussis)
Incubation period	9-10 days (6-20 days)
Period of transmissibility	- During the early catarrahal phase (up to 3 weeks) - No longer after 5 days of antibiotic treatement
Reservoir	- Humans for B. pertussis - Ovins for B. parapertussis
Modes of transmission	Person-to-person: direct contact with droplets and respiratory discharges, rarely by indirect contact though contaminated objects or air
Clinical presentation	- Upper respiratory infection - Complications: apnea (<1 y), encephalopathy, hernias, death - Mis-diasgnosed among adults
Resources
Case definition	MOPH circular no. 109 (2006)
Forms	- General reporting form - Pertussis investigation form
Data	Refer to "Surveillance data" webpage