Medical Term:
pertussis
Pronunciation: per-tŭs′is
Definition: An acute infectious inflammation of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi caused by Bordetella pertussis; characterized by recurrent bouts of spasmodic coughing that continues until the breath is exhausted, then ending in a noisy inspiratory stridor (the “whoop”) caused by laryngeal spasm.
Synonym(s): pertussis syndrome, whooping cough
[L. per, very (intensive), + tussis, cough]
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Examples: glitazone, GI cocktail, etc.
