Bordetella is a group of small gram-negative bacterial pathogens that cause respiratory tract infections in humans and animals.1 Nine species of Bordetella have been identified to date, but Bordetella pertussis (B. pertussis) causes most of the human disease and only three additional members, B. bronchiseptica, B. parapertussis and B. holmesii have been associated with respiratory infections in humans, while B. bronchiseptica is more common in animals.
B. pertussis causes whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory tract infection with characteristic severe coughing episodes. The incubation period is on average 7 to 10 days and the disease follows a prolonged course consisting of three stages:2
- Persistent runny nose
- Paroxysmal coughing
- Convalescence
Pertussis toxin (PT) is the major virulence factor of B. pertussis. PT acts via a complex mechanism of action involving entry into cells of the respiratory tract, modification of critical signaling pathways and disruption of cell regulatory mechanisms.1 Along with other bacterial toxins, PT causes damage to the respiratory epithelium which results in most of the symptoms of infection such as severe coughing.3
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