A study conducted by the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh has identified a notable increase in chest infections linked to a lesser-known bacterium, Bordetella holmesii, which resembles whooping cough. This spike in infections has been particularly pronounced among children aged 5 to 10 years in northern India, according to a statement from the institute.
Historically, whooping cough, or pertussis, has been a severe respiratory illness and a significant contributor to childhood mortality, with fatality rates as high as 10 percent in the early 20th century. The findings of the study, titled “Emergence of Bordetella holmesii–Associated Pertussis-Like Illness, Northern India, 2019–2023,” were published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States.
Researchers analyzed 935 suspected cases of pertussis and found that nearly 37 percent of these infections were attributed to Bordetella holmesii, indicating a shift from the traditionally more common Bordetella pertussis. The most significant rise in cases was observed in 2023, particularly among children in the specified age group.
Data from an ongoing surveillance program at PGIMER, which has been active since 2015, shows that the prevalence of Bordetella pertussis infections has drastically declined from 15-20 percent to just 2-5 percent. In contrast, infections caused by Bordetella holmesii have increased sharply, indicating a changing landscape in the causes of pertussis-like respiratory illnesses in the area.
This long-term research initiative has been led by the laboratory of Vikas Gautam at PGIMER, in collaboration with Prabhu Patil from CSIR-IMTECH in Chandigarh. Pertussis remains a significant public health concern in Asia, especially in countries like India and China, where it primarily affects infants and young children.
Following a temporary decline in cases during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a sharp resurgence. Recent statistics indicate that India reported approximately 13.6 million cases, while China experienced an increase in incidence rates from 0.13 per 100,000 in 2013 to 2.15 per 100,000 in 2019, with over 58,990 cases reported by early 2024.
The findings from the PGIMER team highlight the institution”s critical role in identifying emerging pathogens. This research follows their earlier discovery of Stenotrophomonas sepilia, a new bacterium linked to sepsis.
