Bordetella

Dr. Nan Nwe Win

 Bordetella pertussis
• Causes - Whooping cough (pertussis)

• Morphology - gram ( - ) coccobacilli

- capsule (+)

• Culture - Bordet - Gengou media

- Charcoal- containing medium
Small, dome-shaped, highly refractile colonies of
B.pertussis on Bordet-Gengou medium after 4 days
incubation at 37 °C.
• Growth characteristics - strict aerobes

• Portal of entry
- respiratory route from early cases & possible
via carriers

- organisms adhere to & multiply rapidly on the

epithelial surface of the trachea & bronchi &
interferes with ciliary actions

- no invasion in blood
Clinical Findings
• Catarrhal stage
-mild coughing & sneezing
-highly infectious

• Paroxysmal stage
-cough with explosive character
-characteristic ‘whoop’ upon inhalation
Right – sided subconjunctival haemorrhages seen in a
child with whooping cough caused by B. pertussis
Treatment

• B.pertussis susceptible to several antimicrobial

drugs

• Erythromycin administration during catarrhal

stage promotes elimination of organisms,
having prophylactic value

• O2 inhalation & sedation prevent anoxic

damage to the brain
 Prevention
• Pertussis vaccine - killed whole cell vaccine
- Acellular vaccine (new)

• UCI programme
- Pentavalent vaccine (DPT, OPV, Hib vaccine)
- DPT
- 3 doses, IM, at 2, 4, 6 months to all infants
THE END