Pertussis in a military and military beneficiary population: case series and review of the literature.

Three cases of pertussis (whooping cough) identified in a military emergency department are reported. Two of these cases involved infants with typical presentations. One of these infants was too young to have received immunizations, and the other child was only partially immunized. The third case involved an active duty soldier with a chronic cough. Pertussis has become increasingly important as a cause of chronic cough in adults. As a result of the infectivity of this organism, close-quarter situations, such as day care centers and military barracks, create the opportunity for substantial person-to-person transmission. Typical and atypical clinical presentations of pertussis are discussed, with an emphasis on currently available diagnostic modalities. The epidemiology and pathophysiology of this disease are also reviewed. The medical management of active duty soldiers and their dependents (both pediatric and adult) with this largely underappreciated infection and their close contacts is presented.