Abstract
Pertussis is a disease which is the most often caused by Bordetella pertussis. It is a severe, highly contagious respiratory tract illness. Risk factors include young or old age, comorbidities, pregnancy and smoking. The highest rise in cases concerns younger infants population, in which the mortality is the most common. Clinical presentation can differ from asymptomatic or mild infection to severe respiratory tract disease that lasts for weeks. Pertussis appears through paroxysms, which occur in 2 to 8 weeks after the beginning of the disease. One of the most common complications of pertussis is pneumonia. Pertussis is a serious problem recently, because an increased number of pertussis cases has been noted. According to the National Institute of Public Health in Poland, in 2024, over 30 000 cases were observed, which is 10 times more compared to 2023. In the face of current outbreak, it seems necessary to pay special attention to prevention methods that allow us to stop further transmission of the pertussis.