Bordetella parapertussis

B. parapertussis is a strictly aerobic bacterium, the special soil for cultivation is Bordet-Gengou soil (it contains potato extract with glycerin and 25% ram's blood), it also grows on blood and chocolate agar and on MacConkey soil. It is less demanding in terms of culture than B. pertussis , colonies are characterized by pronounced beta-hemolysis and a dark brown pigment. 

The bacterium is oxidase-negative and urease-positive. Unlike B. pertussis, it does not form a pertussis toxin and also differs from it in its antigenic equipment. 

B. parapertussis is the causative agent of parapertussis (whooping cough syndrome). The disease is very similar to pertussis , the difference is mainly in the duration of cough, which is 31 ± 18 days for parapertussis, while it is 23 ± 11 days for pertussis. The route of transmission is droplets of infected aerosol, the incubation period is 7–10 days, the disease then takes place in three stages (catarrhal, paroxysmal and convalescent). Bordetella adhere to the ciliated epithelium of the airways, where they multiply, impair the function of the cilia and damage the mucosa. 

Macrolides (clarithromycin, azithromycin) are the drug of choice in therapy , and tetracyclines, co-trimoxazole or chloramphenicol are also effective. The treatment should last for 14 days. 

Vaccination against B. pertussis does not protect against B. parapertussis infection.

References 

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