Pertussis occurs most frequently in infants under one year of age, with the highest incidence in those younger than six months. National pertussis surveillance data for January 1992 through December 1994 report an average of 5,095 cases annually. Noting the difficulty in diagnosing pertussis and the difficulty confirming pertussis by laboratory tests, the CDC estimates that this number represents only about 10 percent of the actual number of pertussis cases in the United States. In the first stages of pertussis, an infant often has a runny nose, sneezing, slight fever and a dry, irritating cough. These episodes can last up to two months and can cause vomiting, choking, inability to breathe and injury to the brain due to a lack of oxygen.
Pneumonia is a frequent complication of the disease and a cause of pertussis-related deaths.
Pertussis also can lead to other serious events including encephalopathy, seizures, and, in extreme cases, death. Connaught Laboratories, Inc. provides the broadest range of human vaccines and biologicals commercially available from any single U.S. vaccine company. It is a leading supplier of vaccines to protect against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Japanese encephalitis, yellow fever, meningitis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, rabies, influenza and typhoid fever. Rhone-Poulenc is a French company that is a major international chemical and pharmaceutical group. Any question regarding a medical diagnosis, treatment, referral, drug availability or pricing should be directed to either a licensed physician or to the product's manufacturer.