noun
- a highly contagious bacterial infection of the respiratory system characterized by severe coughing fits
Usage: medical
Examples
- The infant was hospitalized with pertussis after developing severe coughing spells.
- Vaccination against pertussis is part of the standard childhood immunization schedule.
- The characteristic whooping sound of pertussis occurs when patients gasp for air between coughs.
- Pertussis outbreaks can be particularly dangerous for newborns and elderly individuals.
- The doctor diagnosed pertussis based on the patient’s persistent, violent coughing fits.
- Public health officials tracked the spread of pertussis through the school district.