noun, Psychology. 1. Also called operant conditioning, instrumental conditioning. a process of changing behavior by rewarding or punishing a subject each time an action is performed until the subject associates the action with pleasure or distress.
Pertussis is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It is an airborne disease which spreads easily through the coughs and sneezes of an infected person. People are infectious to others from the start of symptoms until about three weeks into the coughing fits.
Reference Range. Pertussis is a respiratory tract infection caused by the gram-negative coccobacillus Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is transmitted by droplet transfer (usually from sneezing or coughing) from an infected person. Pertussis is also known as whooping cough.escription. Pertussis is a respiratory tract infection caused by the gram-negative coccobacillus B pertussis. Pertussis is transmitted by droplet transfer (usually from sneezing or coughing) from an infected person. Pertussis is also known as whooping cough.