Whooping cough, or pertussis, mostly caused by Bordetella pertussis, is a respiratory disease that affects all age groups, but severe and fatal pertussis occurs almost exclusively in young children. Current vaccination strategies have shown their limits and novel vaccines are needed to definitively control this disease. This article summarizes the current state of the art.
Whooping cough, or pertussis, mostly caused by Bordetella pertussis, is a respiratory disease that affects all age groups, but severe and fatal pertussis occurs almost exclusively in young children. Current vaccination strategies have shown their limits and novel vaccines are needed to definitively control this disease.