Emergence of Erythromycin-Resistant and Pertactin- and Filamentous Hemagglutinin-Deficient Bordetella pertussis Strains - Beijing, China, 2022-2023

China CDC Wkly. 2024 May 17;6(20):437-441. doi: 10.46234/ccdcw2024.085.

Abstract

What is already known about this topic?: Pertussis has reemerged as a significant public health threat, primarily due to variations in Bordetella pertussis strains, antimicrobial resistance, and vaccine evasion.

What is added by this report?: All isolated strains were identified as ptxA1/ptxC2/ptxP3/prn150/fim2-1/fim3-1/fhaB1/tcfA2 type and exhibited resistance to erythromycin. Two strains showed a deficiency in Fha, thirty in Prn, and one strain exhibited multiple immunogen deficiencies.

What are the implications for public health practice?: The emergence and spread of immunogen-deficient strains likely result from prolonged vaccine selection pressure, posing challenges to the efficacy of pertussis vaccines. Additionally, the ongoing dissemination of ptxP3 strains with high-level macrolide resistance presents a significant obstacle to clinical treatment strategies.

Keywords: Bordetella pertussis; erythromycin-resistant; prn150.

Grants and funding

Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (grant number 2021YFC2301000) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (grant number 81973106)