Scutari Rossana, Linardos Giulia, Ranno Stefania, Pisani Mara, Vittucci Anna Chiara, Coltella Luana, Colagrossi Luna, Di Maio Velia Chiara, Sisto Annamaria, Mancinelli Livia, Landi Simona, Cristaldi Sebastian, Raponi Massimiliano, Bernaschi Paola, Villani Alberto, Russo Cristina, Perno Carlo Federico
Unit of Microbiology and Diagnostic Immunology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCSS, Rome, 00165, Italy.
Multimodal Laboratory Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, 00165, Italy.
Ital J Pediatr. 2025 Jan 21;51(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s13052-025-01865-4.
In recent months, Bordetella pertussis has reappeared after maintaining a low rate for many years. Although pertussis is usually characterized by a favorable course, several factors can contribute to the severity of the disease, such as mixed respiratory infections. In this study, we evaluate B.pertussis cases observed in the pediatric population followed at the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital and analyzed the potential impact of co-infections in relation to disease severity.
From January to May 2024, a total of 1,151 children and adolescents (both inpatients and outpatients) were screened for the presence of respiratory pathogens, including B.pertussis, with clinically relevant respiratory symptoms.
Among the 1,151 patients screened, 66 tested positive for B.pertussis. Fourteen patients had respiratory failure, and six of them required intensive care unit (ICU) admission, while 52 had mild infection. 23.3% of patients had B.pertussis alone, while 76.7% had co-infections (including 5 patients admitted to the ICU). A higher co-infection rate was observed in patients with respiratory failure than in those without failure (92.9% vs. 69.0%, p-value:0.041). Rhinovirus, Metapneumovirus and Parainfluenza-virus were the most prevalent in our pediatric population. Co-infections of human bocavirus with B.pertussis were observed exclusively in patients with respiratory failure.
Our results highlighted an increase in B.pertussis cases from January to May 2024, reaching a peak of cases in the month of May. This study shows a high rate of B.pertussis co-infection, and a trend toward association between B.pertussis and specific viruses, that might play a role in increasing disease severity.
在多年维持低发病率之后，百日咳博德特氏菌近几个月再度出现。尽管百日咳通常病程良好，但多种因素可导致疾病严重，如混合性呼吸道感染。在本研究中，我们评估了在罗马儿童医院接受随访的儿科人群中观察到的百日咳博德特氏菌病例，并分析了合并感染对疾病严重程度的潜在影响。
2024年1月至5月，对1151名有临床相关呼吸道症状的儿童和青少年（包括住院患者和门诊患者）进行呼吸道病原体筛查，包括百日咳博德特氏菌。
在1151名接受筛查的患者中，66人百日咳博德特氏菌检测呈阳性。14名患者出现呼吸衰竭，其中6人需要入住重症监护病房（ICU），52人感染较轻。23.3%的患者仅感染百日咳博德特氏菌，76.7%的患者合并感染（包括5名入住ICU的患者）。呼吸衰竭患者的合并感染率高于未出现呼吸衰竭的患者（92.9%对69.0%，p值：0.041）。鼻病毒、偏肺病毒和副流感病毒在我们的儿科人群中最为常见。人博卡病毒与百日咳博德特氏菌的合并感染仅在呼吸衰竭患者中观察到。
我们的结果突出显示，2024年1月至5月百日咳博德特氏菌病例有所增加，5月达到病例高峰。本研究显示百日咳博德特氏菌合并感染率很高，且百日咳博德特氏菌与特定病毒之间存在关联趋势，这可能在增加疾病严重程度方面发挥作用。
