Question

For Whooping Cough:

Pathology:

i.

Describe the pathogenic effects on cells, tissues, and organ systems.

ii.

Where in the body (what tissues/organs/cells) does the pathogen affect?

iii.

What damage does the pathogen inflict?

How is this damage inflicted?

Is there direct

mecha

nical damage? Is a toxin produced?

Does the host’s own immune response cause

damage?

iv.

What is the time sequence of the disease (length of incubation, prodrome, illness, decline,

and convalescence)?

Answer 1

1)Whooping cough is highly contagious and spread through crowded places like schools, hospitals. Adults and children’s can show moderate symptoms but the neonates have severe symptoms. Whooping cough is caused by Bordetella Pertussis which is aerobic, small non motile, gram negative cocco bacilli. Transmission can be seen thorough air when bacteria get into airways by the infected person coughing and sneezing. The bacteria can cause inflammation, coughing and cold like symptom.

2) The bacteria affect the airways and cause the pathogenic effects to epithelial cells. Epithelial cells have brush like cilia that beats in coordinated fashion while other epithelia cells called globlet cells produced mucous which covers the respiratory lining and blocks all contaminants. The bacteria effects the epithelial cells which cause the improper functioning of cilia and some might lead to removal of goblet cells which results in the rupture of epithelial cells which might increases the respiratory infections.

3) Bacterial toxins accumulate in the cilia causing the goblet cells and cilia cells to rupture which later dies. Bacterial toxins also stimulate the goblet cells to release nitric oxide. The released nitric oxide damages the cilia and breaks them. Nitric oxide also caused extrusion and these causes extrusion and forcing of some of the ciliated cells form epithelium. With the effects of toxins and nitric oxide there is considerable damage to cilia. With improper functioning of cilia the debris and mucous is accumulated blocking the respiratory tract and human body is forced to removed this mucous by coughing called as whooping cough

3) The incubation period of disease is 5-10 days and can shows symptoms such cold, low grade fever, and viral cough days it begin with catarrhal stage which last for 1-2 weeks with cold like symptoms which later enters into paroxysmal stage lasting for 2-4 weeks and last is convalescent stage which last for 3-4 weeks. Coughing can be severe with blood in cough and loose control over bowel movements symptoms can be less in immunized persons. The disease can last for 3-6 weeks. It can be diagnose by serology test. Treatment can be done by used of antibiotics like azithromycin and erythromycin.