noun
- Plural of pertussis; instances or cases of whooping cough, a contagious respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.
Usage: Medical/clinical term; Pertussis is the scientific name for whooping cough
Examples
- The health department tracked several pertusses outbreaks in the school district.
- Vaccination rates have significantly reduced the number of pertusses cases in developed countries.
- Infants are particularly vulnerable to severe pertusses infections.
- The clinic reported three confirmed pertusses cases this month.
- Public health officials monitor pertusses trends to guide immunization campaigns.