The Genus Bordetella *

The members of the genus Bordetella are small non-spore-forming Gram-negative aerobic coccobacilli. There are now 16 named species. Among them are the more notable and familiar mammalian pathogens Bordetella pertussis and B. parapertussis _hu, which cause whooping cough in humans; B. parapertussis _ov, which causes a respiratory disease in sheep; and B. bronchiseptica, which causes respiratory diseases in numerous mammals. ^{1 – 7}