"Do we Need to Investigate Respiratory Virus in Hospitalized Infants with Suspected Pertussis?"

Respiratory virus (RV) and Bordetella pertussis (BP) are common etiological agents of respiratory infections in infants during the first year of life. Those infants younger than 6 months, still partially immunized for BP, are also the most susceptible to severe viral infections leading to hospitalization, such as in cases of bronchiolitis caused by respiratory syncytial virus [1,2]. Although some striking clinical characteristics of pertussis are common in older children and adults, in these infants the clinical picture may be less typical. Co-infection with RV and BP can also occur, due to co-circulation of these agents and the susceptibility of infants [1,3,4].