Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026
Evaluation of Host-Pathogen Responses and Vaccine Efficacy in Mice
Published on: February 22, 2019
Pertussis: an overview of the disease, immunization, and trends for nurses
Regena Spratling1, Myra Carmon
1Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Insights
Pertussis, or whooping cough, remains a growing concern despite updated Tdap vaccine guidelines. Nurses play a crucial role in preventing pertussis through education and early outbreak detection.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Pertussis (whooping cough) is a contagious, vaccine-preventable childhood illness.
- Despite revised 2006 Tdap vaccination guidelines for adolescents and adults, pertussis incidence is rising in the U.S.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the ongoing challenge of pertussis in the U.S.
- To emphasize the critical role of vaccination in pertussis prevention.
- To underscore the importance of nursing in pertussis control.
Main Methods:
- Review of pertussis epidemiology and vaccination guidelines.
- Analysis of the impact of Tdap vaccine recommendations.
- Examination of the nursing scope of practice in infectious disease prevention.
Main Results:
- Pertussis incidence has increased despite updated vaccination schedules.
- The Tdap vaccine is essential for preventing pertussis.
- Nurses are vital for vaccine administration, education, and outbreak identification.
Conclusions:
- Continued vigilance and effective nursing interventions are necessary to combat rising pertussis rates.
- Strengthening vaccination programs and public awareness is key.
- Nurses are integral to public health efforts against vaccine-preventable diseases like pertussis.
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.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed.
01:28Current Trends in Nursing I
01:30Current Trends in Nursing II
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
01:17Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...
01:29Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...