| pertussis immunoglobulin | A sterile solution of globulin's derived from the plasma of adult human donors who have been immunised with pertussis vaccine; used both prophylactically and therapeutically. Synonym: pertussis immunoglobulin. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| pertussis syndrome | <infectious disease> An acute, highly contagious infection of the respiratory tract, most frequently affecting young children, usually caused by Bordetella pertussis, a similar illness has been associated with infection by B. Parapertussis and B. Bronchiseptica. It is characterised by a catarrhal stage, beginning after an incubation period of about two weeks, with slight fever, sneesing, running at the nose and a dry cough. In a week or two the paroxysmal stage begins, with the characteristic paroxysmal cough, consisting of a deep inspiration, followed by a series of quick, short coughs, continuing until the air is expelled from the lungs, the close of the paroxysm is marked by a long drawn, shrill, whooping inspiration, due to spasmodic closure of the glottis. This stage lasts three to four weeks, after which the convalescent stage begins, in which paroxysms grow less frequent and less violent and finally cease. Synonym: whooping cough. Origin: L. Tussis = cough (18 Nov 1997) |
| pertussis toxin | <protein> Protein complex (ca 117 kD). An A B toxin, the active subunit is a single polypeptide 28 kD), the binding subunit a pentamer (two heterodimers, 23 + 11.7 kD, 11.7 + 22 kD and a monomer (9.3 kD) that binds the heterodimers). The active subunit ADP ribosylates the _ subunit of the inhibitory GTP-binding protein (Gi). Crucial to the pathogenicity of Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough. (18 Nov 1997) |
| pertussis toxins | <chemical> Any of various biologically active proteins or toxins elaborated by bordetella pertussis that cause the symptoms of whooping cough. Some activate pancreatic islets, others inhibit the adenylate cyclase cascade and some cause lymphocytosis. Chemical name: Toxins, pertussis (12 Dec 1998) |
| pertussis vaccine | A suspension of killed bordetella pertussis organisms, used for immunization against pertussis (whooping cough). It is generally used in a mixture with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (dtp). There is an acellular pertussis vaccine prepared from the purified antigenic components of bordetella pertussis, which causes fewer adverse reactions than whole-cell vaccine and, like the whole-cell vaccine, is generally used in a mixture with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids. (12 Dec 1998) |
| pertussis-like syndrome | <syndrome> A syndrome characterised by severe episodes of coughing resembling whooping cough (pertussis). (05 Mar 2000) |