Sharp rise in high-virulence Bordetella pertussis with macrolides resistance in Northern China

Objective To elucidate the evolution of antigen genotype and antimicrobial resistance distribution of Bordetella pertussis (B. pertussis) from 2019 to 2023 in northern China.Methods Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing were utilized to identify the seven antigen genotypes (pt...

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Main Authors: Yahong Hu, Lin Zhou, Qianqian Du, Wei Shi, Qinghong Meng, Lin Yuan, Huili Hu, Lijuan Ma, Dongfang Li, Kaihu Yao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Emerging Microbes and Infections
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2025.2475841
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author Yahong Hu
Lin Zhou
Qianqian Du
Wei Shi
Qinghong Meng
Lin Yuan
Huili Hu
Lijuan Ma
Dongfang Li
Kaihu Yao
author_facet Yahong Hu
Lin Zhou
Qianqian Du
Wei Shi
Qinghong Meng
Lin Yuan
Huili Hu
Lijuan Ma
Dongfang Li
Kaihu Yao
author_sort Yahong Hu
collection DOAJ
description Objective To elucidate the evolution of antigen genotype and antimicrobial resistance distribution of Bordetella pertussis (B. pertussis) from 2019 to 2023 in northern China.Methods Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing were utilized to identify the seven antigen genotypes (ptxA, ptxC, ptxP, prn, fim2, fim3, tcfA). E-test and Kirby-Bauer (K-B) disc diffusion were employed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and zone of inhibition for B. pertussis against antimicrobial agents. Subsequently, 50 isolates were chosen for multi-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) typing and whole-genome sequencing.Results A total of 442 B. pertussis isolates were determined. The strains with high virulence harbouring ptxP3 allele surged from 13.5% (21/155) in 2019–2021 to 93.0% (267/287) in 2022–2023. Concurrently, the erythromycin resistance B. pertussis (ERBP) in ptxP3 isolates markedly rose from 42.9% (9/21) in 2019–2021 to 100% (267/267) in 2022–2023. The majority of ptxP3 isolates (76.0%,219/288) exhibited the ptxA1/ptxC1/prn2/fim2-1/fim3A/tcfA-2 genotype. Among the 442 confirmed patients, the children aged 3–14 years escalated rapidly from 13.5% in 2019 to 45.6% in 2023. The MT28 strains were responsible for 66.0% (33/50) of the tested ones, in which ERBP was prevalent at 87.9% (29/33). All the present sequenced ptxP3-ERBP strains (31/31) were clustered into the sub-lineage IVd.Conclusions These results suggested the clonal spread of the ptxP3-ERBP lineage of B. pertussis with high virulence and macrolides resistance could be an important cause of the recent pertussis resurgence in China. Furthermore, the increased cases among pre-school and school-aged children underscore the importance of booster vaccination in this population.
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spelling doaj-art-54af5c8d4ddb43c99ba0fffb263234962025-08-20T03:12:11ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512025-12-0114110.1080/22221751.2025.2475841Sharp rise in high-virulence Bordetella pertussis with macrolides resistance in Northern ChinaYahong Hu0Lin Zhou1Qianqian Du2Wei Shi3Qinghong Meng4Lin Yuan5Huili Hu6Lijuan Ma7Dongfang Li8Kaihu Yao9Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics, Laboratory of Infection and Microbiology, Beijing PaediatricPediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.Department of Clinical Laboratory, Capital Institute of, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics, Laboratory of Infection and Microbiology, Beijing PaediatricPediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics, Laboratory of Infection and Microbiology, Beijing PaediatricPediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics, Laboratory of Infection and Microbiology, Beijing PaediatricPediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics, Laboratory of Infection and Microbiology, Beijing PaediatricPediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Shijingshan Hospital, Shijingshan Teaching Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.Department of Clinical Laboratory, Capital Institute of, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.BGI, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China.Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics, Laboratory of Infection and Microbiology, Beijing PaediatricPediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.Objective To elucidate the evolution of antigen genotype and antimicrobial resistance distribution of Bordetella pertussis (B. pertussis) from 2019 to 2023 in northern China.Methods Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing were utilized to identify the seven antigen genotypes (ptxA, ptxC, ptxP, prn, fim2, fim3, tcfA). E-test and Kirby-Bauer (K-B) disc diffusion were employed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and zone of inhibition for B. pertussis against antimicrobial agents. Subsequently, 50 isolates were chosen for multi-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) typing and whole-genome sequencing.Results A total of 442 B. pertussis isolates were determined. The strains with high virulence harbouring ptxP3 allele surged from 13.5% (21/155) in 2019–2021 to 93.0% (267/287) in 2022–2023. Concurrently, the erythromycin resistance B. pertussis (ERBP) in ptxP3 isolates markedly rose from 42.9% (9/21) in 2019–2021 to 100% (267/267) in 2022–2023. The majority of ptxP3 isolates (76.0%,219/288) exhibited the ptxA1/ptxC1/prn2/fim2-1/fim3A/tcfA-2 genotype. Among the 442 confirmed patients, the children aged 3–14 years escalated rapidly from 13.5% in 2019 to 45.6% in 2023. The MT28 strains were responsible for 66.0% (33/50) of the tested ones, in which ERBP was prevalent at 87.9% (29/33). All the present sequenced ptxP3-ERBP strains (31/31) were clustered into the sub-lineage IVd.Conclusions These results suggested the clonal spread of the ptxP3-ERBP lineage of B. pertussis with high virulence and macrolides resistance could be an important cause of the recent pertussis resurgence in China. Furthermore, the increased cases among pre-school and school-aged children underscore the importance of booster vaccination in this population.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2025.2475841Bordetella pertussisErythromycin resistancePtxp3MT28China
spellingShingle Yahong Hu
Lin Zhou
Qianqian Du
Wei Shi
Qinghong Meng
Lin Yuan
Huili Hu
Lijuan Ma
Dongfang Li
Kaihu Yao
Sharp rise in high-virulence Bordetella pertussis with macrolides resistance in Northern China
Emerging Microbes and Infections
Bordetella pertussis
Erythromycin resistance
Ptxp3
MT28
China
title Sharp rise in high-virulence Bordetella pertussis with macrolides resistance in Northern China
title_full Sharp rise in high-virulence Bordetella pertussis with macrolides resistance in Northern China
title_fullStr Sharp rise in high-virulence Bordetella pertussis with macrolides resistance in Northern China
title_full_unstemmed Sharp rise in high-virulence Bordetella pertussis with macrolides resistance in Northern China
title_short Sharp rise in high-virulence Bordetella pertussis with macrolides resistance in Northern China
title_sort sharp rise in high virulence bordetella pertussis with macrolides resistance in northern china
topic Bordetella pertussis
Erythromycin resistance
Ptxp3
MT28
China
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2025.2475841
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