Whooping cough

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/whooping-cough

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the bacterial species?Bordetella pertussis
2. What is the primary virulence factors?Pertussis toxin (PT), adenylate cyclase toxin (AC), tracheal cytotoxin (TC)
3. What causes whooping cough?Whooping cough is caused by a bacterium called Bordetella pertussis. It sticks to the cells in the throat and releases toxins that make you cough.
4. Why do people make a 'whoop' sound?After a strong coughing fit, air rushes into the throat and makes a high‑pitched sound called a 'whoop'.

Paroxysmal Coughing: Sudden, violent, and uncontrollable coughing fits, often occurring in clusters.
Pathogenesis: The way in which a disease develops, including the mechanisms by which a pathogen causes illness.
Herd Immunity: Indirect protection from an infectious disease that occurs when a large percentage of a population has become immune.
Epidemiology: The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations.