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Resemblance and divergence: the "new" members of the genus Bordetella

Roy Gross1, Kristina Keidel, Karin Schmitt

  • 1Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie, Biozentrum, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany. roy@biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de

Medical Microbiology and Immunology
|April 15, 2010
PubMed

Insights

This review summarizes current knowledge on "new" Bordetella species, distinct from classical Bordetella pertussis. These emerging pathogens, often found in diverse environments and hosts, require further investigation.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacteriology
  • Pathogen Discovery

Background:

  • Bordetella pertussis, the cause of whooping cough, was identified over a century ago.
  • The Bordetella genus includes classical species like B. parapertussis, B. bronchiseptica, and B. avium, significant in human and veterinary medicine.
  • Recent discoveries have expanded the Bordetella genus with new species, often isolated from diverse sources.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and summarize the current understanding of newly identified Bordetella species.
  • To highlight the limited knowledge available for these emerging bacterial pathogens.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on Bordetella.
  • Synthesis of existing data on novel Bordetella species.

Main Results:

  • Several new Bordetella species have been classified in the last 15 years.
  • These species are frequently isolated from individuals with pre-existing conditions, animals, and environmental samples.
  • Knowledge regarding these novel Bordetella species remains scarce.

Conclusions:

  • The Bordetella genus continues to expand with new species.
  • Further research is crucial to understand the clinical and ecological significance of these emerging Bordetella pathogens.

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