Whooping cough caused by Bordetella parapertussis

Bordetella parapertussis can cause whooping cough, although it is usually of a milder nature than that caused by Bordetella pertussis. Infants as well as adults can be affected. Polymerase chain reaction assays can differentiate B pertussis from B parapertussis. More research is needed to determine whether treatment is appropriate for B parapertussis infection and whether prophylactic treatment is necessary following exposure to B parapertussis. We present the case of a 10-week-old infant and a review of the literature on parapertussis.