Pertussis: Diagnosis and Treatment
Pertussis: Diagnosis and Treatment is organized by Nurse.com - OnCourse Learning Corporation.
Course Originally Released on: 03/07/2023
Date of Most Recent Review: 3/7/2023
Course Termination/ Update Date: 12/31/2026
Description:
Pertussis, also known as “whooping cough,” is a vaccine-preventable disease that has experienced a resurgence since the 1980s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2022b). It is likely that only a small number of pertussis cases are recognized and reported with the real incidence likely much higher. Rates reported may be up to 160 times less than the actual amount of disease with asymptomatic rates up to 22 times more prevalent than symptomatic infections (Cherry, 2016).
Clinicians and educators have a role in the prevention of pertussis through patient education and immunization programs. Clinicians and educators must inform patients that neither vaccination nor infection guarantees life-long protection from pertussis. Previously vaccinated adults and adolescents with mild or subclinical disease are a reservoir of infection and often are the cause of infection in infants and children.
Goal and Learning Outcomes:
The goal of this course is to educate nurses, medical assistants, and health educators about the background, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of pertussis.
After taking this course, you should be able to:
• Recall the history of pertussis and vaccine development.
• Identify the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of pertussis.
• Indicate prevention strategies, infection control, and vaccination recommendations for pertussis.