AUTHOR=Sun Wenqiang , Li Mengzhao , Zhu Xueping 

TITLE=Bordetella pertussis bacteremia in infants co-infected with cytomegalovirus and respiratory syncytial virus

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1544935

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2025.1544935

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=IntroductionHematogenous infections caused by Bordetella pertussis are rare. This study aimed to increase clinicians’ knowledge of B. pertussis bacteremia.MethodsWe described a case of an infant with B. pertussis bacteremia, searched and reviewed for B. pertussis bacteremia-related literatures published in the PubMed database between 1946 to 2022.ResultsA 3-month-old male infant was admitted to the hospital with a respiratory tract infection. Respiratory pathogen testing indicated the presence of B. pertussis, cytomegalovirus, and respiratory syncytial viruses. Blood metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) confirmed B. pertussis bacteremia. After 32 days of anti-infective treatment and supportive therapy, the patient’s condition improved, and he was discharged. The literature review found that B. pertussis bacteremia is rare, often with fever as the first symptom, and is most common in individuals with underlying diseases or prolonged immunosuppressive therapy.DiscussionIn infants lacking specific protective antibodies against B. pertussis, B. pertussis bacteremia should be considered when bacteremia-associated clinical manifestations are present and the causative organism remains undetected. Timely refinement of mNGS can help clarify the diagnosis.