noun
- Plural of pertussis; instances or cases of whooping cough, a highly contagious bacterial respiratory disease.
Usage: Medical/clinical term; Pertussis is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis
Examples
- The health department tracked several pertussises in the school district last winter.
- Vaccination rates have reduced the number of pertussises reported annually.
- Infants are particularly vulnerable to severe pertussises.
- The outbreak resulted in multiple pertussises among unvaccinated children.
- Public health officials warned of rising pertussises in the region.