Eradicate whooping cough-Whooping coughWhat is whooping cough?Whooping cough is a very contagious respiratory infection, caused by the bacterium Bordetella Pertussis which only affects humans. This bacteria attaches to the lining of the upper respiratory tract and releases toxins that lead to inflammation and swelling. It is commonly known as whooping cough. It is widely known for its uncontrollable and violent cough that makes it difficult for the infected person to breathe. After numerous coughing fits, a person infected with this disease often needs to take deep breaths, which results in a "whooping cough" sound. The first outbreaks of whooping cough were described in the 16th century. However, the bacteria responsible for this infection was not identified until 1906. In the period before vaccination (in the 1920s and 1930s), more than 250,000 cases of whooping cough were reported annually in the United States, with up to 9,000 deaths. In the 1940s, the pertussis vaccine, combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (DTP), was introduced. By 1976, whooping cough had been reduced by more than 99% in the United States. Why target whooping cough? This disease most often affects infants and young children. If left untreated, it can lead to complications such as pneumonia and seizures. It can also be fatal, especially in children under one year old. Before a vaccine for the disease was available, whooping cough killed nearly 5,000 to 10,000 people in the United States each year. In the 1980s, just a few years after the frequency of whooping cough declined by more than 99%, whooping cough epidemics began to increase and increase. regularly. Three notable outbreaks have occurred since then, in 2005 with 25,616 cases, in 2008 with 13,000 cases...... middle of paper ......t vaccine is most effective at preventing serious illness and can have little impact on acquisition of infection, prevention of mild illness, and reduction of transmission to other individuals. Another reason is that the vaccine requires multiple doses for protection. A final reason is that whooping cough is difficult to diagnose in the early stages, when it is most contagious. Another thing to keep in mind when thinking about ways to eradicate whooping cough is cost. Currently, the estimated costs to eliminate or eradicate pertussis are unknown. Indeed, no effective strategy has yet been developed. The benefits of eradication are also difficult to estimate in the absence of accurate data on the true burden of disease across all age groups in many countries. However, with the increase in cases of whooping cough, its eradication would put an end to whooping cough vaccination..