Final answer:
Whooping cough pathogens impair the respiratory system's defenses by inhibiting cilia function, secreting toxins that affect mucus clearance, and impairing the immune response, which facilitates lung infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The pathogen responsible for whooping cough overcomes the normal protective responses of the respiratory system primarily through the inhibition of cilia function, toxin secretion affecting mucus clearance, and impairment of the immune response in the lungs. The function of the ciliated epithelial cells is disrupted, which impairs the mucociliary escalator effect. This impairment prevents the trapped organisms in the mucus from being expelled, allowing them to colonize the lungs and cause infections like bronchitis or pneumonia.
Additionally, other pathogens may produce virulence factors, such as adhesins for attaching to host epithelial cells and capsules that prevent phagocytosis. Some bacteria also produce endotoxins and exotoxins that damage respiratory cells and suppress the body's response, complicating the infection further.