bacterial disease/pertussis

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Infectious

bacterial disease

pertussis

A 32-year-old man presents to an outpatient clinic with a 3-week history of a persistent, severe cough. He describes the cough as paroxysmal, often ending with a distinct inspiratory "whoop" sound and occasionally leading to post-tussive emesis. He denies fever or chills but reports feeling exhausted after coughing spells. He works as a kindergarten teacher and recalls several children in his class recently having similar prolonged cough illnesses. On examination, his temperature is 37.1 C (98.8 F), pulse 82 bpm, respiratory rate 16 breaths/min, and blood pressure 128/78 mmHg. Lung auscultation reveals clear breath sounds bilaterally, and there are no signs of respiratory distress, apart from an occasional observed coughing fit. A chest X-ray is unremarkable. What is the most likely diagnosis and the most appropriate initial management strategy for this patient, considering public health implications?

Lab ParameterValueReference Range
White Blood Cell (WBC) count18.5 x 10^9/L4.0-10.0 x 10^9/L
Lymphocyte percentage75%20-40%
C-reactive protein (CRP)3.2 mg/L<5.0 mg/L

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