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Prevalence of Legionella as a waterborne pathogen and its health impacts in the pan-European region

Legionella infections represent a significant health burden in the pan-European region; in many countries it is considered among the most important waterborne...

WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI): report on the sixth round of data collection, 2022– 2024

Unhealthy bodyweight in children affects physical and mental health, school performance and quality of life, while also raising the risk of obesity and...

Healthy habits, healthy schools: good practices for hand hygiene and menstrual health in schools in the pan-European region

Access to safe drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools is fundamental to protecting children’s health, dignity and educational opportunities....

Workshop on wastewater and environmental surveillance for public health in central Asia: meeting report, Astana, 5 June 2025

The Workshop on wastewater and environmental surveillance (WES) for public health in central Asia, held on 5 June 2025 in Astana, convened national and...



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Pertussis: What you need to know

Overview

Pertussis is a highly infectious respiratory tract infection. It is characterized by a “hacking” cough, followed by a high pitched intake of breath, or a “whoop” (hence the common name of whooping cough).

The disease is most dangerous in infants and young children, and can give rise to complications and even lead to death. 

The bacterium Bordetella pertussis, that causes the disease, can be found in all countries. Pertussis spreads easily from person to person mainly through droplets produced by coughing or sneezing.

Vaccination programmes significantly reduce pertussis cases and deaths.

WHO Team
Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization (VIF)
Number of pages
2