Free BCEN Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Practice Question

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease known for uncontrollable, violent coughing which often makes it hard to breathe. After cough fits, someone with pertussis often needs to take deep breaths, which result in a 'whooping' sound. Pertussis is most severe for babies and can lead to death, especially in infants under the age of 1 year. The description of a 'high fever without a cough' more accurately describes measles. Croup is characterized by a 'bark-like' cough and stridor, not a 'whooping' sound, and bronchiolitis often occurs in infants presenting with wheezing and respiratory distress, not violent coughing followed by a 'whooping' sound.