Viral infections in clinical pertussis

Of 44 children with clinical pertussis 29 (66%) had serological evidence of concurrent infection with respiratory viruses or Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The commonest superinfection was by mycoplasma (32%), followed by respiratory syncytial virus (27%) and adenoviruses (16%). The high prevalence of viral infections, many being multiple, supports the theory that pertussis predisposes to such infections or vice versa.