Pertussis: an Overview of the Disease, Immunization, and Trends
Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable childhood disease characterized by bouts of "whooping cough." In 2006, vaccination guidelines for pertussis were recommended to include Tdap for routine use in adolescents 11 to 18 years of age and single doses for adults 19 to 64 years of age. Despite these revisions in the vaccination guidelines for adolescents, the incidence of the disease continues to increase in the U.S. The vaccine for pertussis is an essential component in disease prevention. Nurses have an important role in the prevention of pertussis through vaccination education and administration, as well as in the early identification of disease outbreaks.
Pertussis has re-emerged as a health concern in the last two decades. Since the 1980s, the number of reported cases of pertussis has steadily increased, particularly among the infant and adolescent age groups (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], 2006). Pertussis is a highly contagious disease with persistent outbreaks in the U.S. despite the availability of a preventive vaccine. Pertussis can be better understood through knowledge and discussion of the course of illness, epidemiology and trends, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Nurses have an important role in interventions for pertussis.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable childhood disease characterized by bouts of "whooping cough." In 2006, vaccination guidelines for pertussis were recommended to include Tdap for routine use in adolescents 11 to 18 years of age and single doses for adults 19 to 64 years of age. Despite these revisions in the vaccination guidelines for adolescents, the incidence of the disease continues to increase in the U.S. The vaccine for pertussis is an essential component in disease prevention. Nurses have an important role in the prevention of pertussis through vaccination education and administration, as well as in the early identification of disease outbreaks.
Introduction
Pertussis has re-emerged as a health concern in the last two decades. Since the 1980s, the number of reported cases of pertussis has steadily increased, particularly among the infant and adolescent age groups (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], 2006). Pertussis is a highly contagious disease with persistent outbreaks in the U.S. despite the availability of a preventive vaccine. Pertussis can be better understood through knowledge and discussion of the course of illness, epidemiology and trends, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Nurses have an important role in interventions for pertussis.
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