Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 21, 2025
Evaluation of Host-Pathogen Responses and Vaccine Efficacy in Mice
Published on: February 22, 2019
Pathogen analysis of pertussis-like syndrome in children
Wenjing Gu1, Kun Wang1, Xinxing Zhang1
1Department of Respiration, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, No. 303 Jing De Road, Suzhou, 215003, China.
Insights
Bordetella pertussis causes about half of pertussis-like syndromes in children. Mycoplasma pneumoniae and human rhinovirus were other common pathogens, with B. pertussis infections leading to longer hospital stays and higher blood cell counts.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- Pertussis-like syndrome in children can be caused by pathogens other than Bordetella pertussis.
- Identifying these alternative pathogens is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify pathogens causing pertussis-like syndrome in children, beyond B. pertussis.
- To compare clinical presentations between B. pertussis infections and other causes of pertussis-like syndrome.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 281 children with suspected pertussis infections.
- Multi-pathogen detection techniques were employed to identify causative agents.
- Clinical data and laboratory results were analyzed for comparison.
Main Results:
- Bordetella pertussis was detected in 53.0% of cases. Mycoplasma pneumoniae (15.6%) was the most frequent alternative pathogen, followed by human rhinovirus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and parainfluenza virus 3.
- Children with B. pertussis exhibited higher vaccination rates, longer hospital stays, and elevated white blood cell, neutrophil, and platelet counts compared to those with other pathogens.
- Significant differences were observed in CD3-CD19+ cell percentages between the B. pertussis and other pathogen groups.
Conclusions:
- Approximately half of pediatric pertussis-like syndromes are attributed to B. pertussis.
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae and human rhinovirus are significant contributors to pertussis-like illness in children.
- B. pertussis infections are associated with more severe clinical indicators, including prolonged hospitalization and specific hematological changes.
Background:
The aim of the study was to identify the pathogens, in addition to bordetella pertussis (B. pertussis), which cause pertussis-like syndrome in children and to compare clinical presentation between those with B. pertussis and pertussis-like syndrome.
Methods:
A cross-sectional analysis was conducted from March 2016 to September 2018. In total, 281 children with suspected pertussis infections were enrolled in this study. Multi-pathogen detection was performed.
Results:
In total, 281 children were enrolled including 139 males and 142 females. Among them, 149 (53.0%) were B. pertussis positive, and 72 (15.6%) children tested positive for other pathogens. Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP, 27 cases) was the most common causative pathogen in pertussis-like syndrome, followed by human rhinovirus (HRV, 23 cases), Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP, 13 cases), Haemophilus influenzae (HI, 12 cases) and parainfluenza virus 3 (Pinf-3, 9 cases). Children in the B. pertussis group had a higher rate of vaccination and longer hospital stay (P < 0.05). B. pertussis was more likely to be detected in winter than other pathogens, but this difference was not significant (P = 0.074). The number of white blood cells, neutrophils and blood platelets was significantly higher in children in the B. pertussis than in the pertussis-like group (P < 0.05). In addition, the percentage of CD3-CD19+ cells was significantly higher in the B. pertussis group (P = 0.018).
Conclusion:
About half of the children with pertussis-like syndrome were B. pertussis positive. MP was the second most common causative pathogen followed by HRV, SP, HI and Pinf-3. Children infected with B. pertussis had longer hospital stay and higher numbers of white blood cells, neutrophil and blood platelets compared with other pathogens.
More Related Videos
09:12Characterization of Inflammatory Responses During Intranasal Colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae
Published on: January 17, 2014
09:01An In vitro Model to Study Immune Responses of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells to Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Published on: December 10, 2013
