Pseudo-Outbreak of Bordetella parapertussis Caused by Contaminated Swabs in the Netherlands

An increase in positive Bordetella parapertussis tests among patients in a teaching hospital in the Netherlands resulted in enhanced infection control and microbiological surveillance. Further analysis revealed that batches of contaminated nasopharyngeal swabs were associated with a pseudo-outbreak, resulting in incorrect diagnoses, antimicrobial treatments, isolation precautions, and public health notifications.