Bordetella holmesii Latest News
A team at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, has reported a significant rise in infections caused by a lesser-known bacterium Bordetella holmesii that mimics whooping cough in north India.
About Bordetella holmesii
- It is a bacterium recently recognized in 1995.
- It is a gram-negative coccobacillus that can cause pertussis-like symptoms in humans as well as invasive infections.
- It can cause endocarditis, community acquired pneumonia, cellulitis, suppurative arthritis, and pyelonephritis.
- Researchers discovered that nearly 37 per cent of infections in North India were caused by Bordetella holmesii (bacterium), surpassing the number of infections from Bordetella pertussis.
What is Whooping cough?
- It is also known as pertussis.
- It is a highly contagious infection which impacts the respiratory tract and is caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria.
- It gets its name from the “whooping” sound which the patient experiences while coughing.
- It is particularly severe in infants and in case of complications may lead to pneumonia and even death.
- Treatment: Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccines.
Transmission of Whooping Cough
- A person catches this bacteria via droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
- It attaches itself to the throat lining and then produces toxins which damage hair-like projections which clear debris and mucus.
- This leads to inflammation in the airways and causes severe coughing fits.
Symptoms of Whooping Cough
- It begins with cold-like symptoms accompanied with low-grade fever. As it progresses, coughs get accompanied with a “whooping” sound.
- It causes sleep apnea in children.
Source: TH
Bordetella holmesii FAQs
Q1: What is Bordetella holmesii?
Ans: A bacterium that can cause pertussis-like symptoms.
Q2: Which population is most susceptible to severe Bordetella holmesii infections?
Ans: Immunocompromised individuals
