Bacteriologically Proved Pertussis and Adenovirus Infection

Abstract

Nineteen patients with the diagnosis of whooping cough were evaluated for evidence of infection with bacterial and viral pathogens. Bordetella pertussis was cultured from 13 of these patients and B parapertussis from one. In seven of these 14 patients, additional evidence of infection with an adenovirus was obtained. This is the first report of simultaneous infection with adenovirus in bacteriologically proved cases of pertussis or parapertussis. The literature on the association of adenoviruses with the whooping cough syndrome shows the implications of concurrent adenovirus and B pertussis infection.