Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a contagious bacterial disease that targets cells in the human respiratory tract. Whooping cough is an airborne disease that causes coughing fits, difficulty breathing and potentially death. Although it can be life threatening, the disease is preventable with proper immunization. Pertactin is a commonly used protein derived from the bacterial species, B. pertussis, used in the production of the vaccine against the disease.