However, there may be no lymphocytosis in very young infants, vaccinated children or with mild disease in adults. Although drug therapy does not shorten disease, it will eliminate nasopharyngeal carriage and thus reduce the likelihood of transmission to susceptibles. Recognized exposed individuals should receive prophylactic treatment regardless of age or immunization status. Duration varies with drug given and ranges from 7-14 days. Steroids and albuterol do not have a documented effect in reducing paroxysms of coughing.
Immunization plays an important role in prevention of disease.
Pertussis vaccine was originally recommended in 1947. Because of the lower frequency of adverse events, DTaP is now the recommended vaccine. Precise antibodies that result in protection are still not clearly defined, hence the different types and amounts of components. In order to come close to achieving this goal, it is important to consider pertussis as the etiologic agent responsible for prolonged cough in adolescents and adults as well as in children. The disease in adults is often atypical and since pertussis is believed to be primarily a disease of childhood, it is not often considered.