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.
Pertussis (Whooping Cough). Pertussis (whooping cough) is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable respiratory disease. Pertussis most commonly affects infants and young children and can be fatal, especially in babies less than 1 year of age.Pertussis is caused by a bacteria found in the mouth, nose and throat of an infected person.he childhood vaccine is called DTaP, and the pertussis booster vaccine for adolescents and adults is called Tdap. All adolescents and adults are encouraged to get one lifetime dose of the booster vaccine.