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Bordetella parapertussis bacteremia: two case reports
Rebecca Wallihan1, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Mario Marcon
1Section of Infectious Diseases, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA. rebecca.wallihan@nationwidechildrens.org
Abstract:
Bordetella parapertussis is widely recognized as a cause of a pertussis-like respiratory illness in children, but reports of invasive infection are rare. We review the literature and describe the clinical presentation and treatment of 2 children with B. parapertussis bacteremia, as well as the techniques used to isolate the organism.
Insights
Bordetella parapertussis rarely causes invasive disease. This study details two pediatric cases of B. parapertussis bacteremia, highlighting clinical presentation and diagnostic methods.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Bacteriology
- Respiratory infections
Background:
- Bordetella parapertussis is a known cause of pertussis-like illness in children.
- Invasive infections due to B. parapertussis are infrequently reported in medical literature.
- Understanding the spectrum of B. parapertussis infections is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.
Observation:
- Two pediatric patients presented with B. parapertussis bacteremia.
- The clinical presentation of these invasive cases was documented.
- Methods for isolating B. parapertussis from blood cultures were employed.
Findings:
- B. parapertussis can lead to invasive bloodstream infections in children, although rare.
- Successful isolation techniques for B. parapertussis from clinical specimens were utilized.
- The study contributes to the limited data on invasive B. parapertussis infections.
Implications:
- Clinicians should consider B. parapertussis in the differential diagnosis of severe respiratory and systemic infections in children.
- Enhanced diagnostic approaches may be needed to identify invasive B. parapertussis.
- Further research is warranted to understand the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of invasive B. parapertussis infections.
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