What is "bordetella"

n. (context biology English) Any of several gram-negative coccobacillus, of the genus (taxlink Bordetella genus noshow=1), many of which are pathogenic; especially (taxlink Bordatella pertussis species noshow=1) which causes whooping cough.

Bordetella is a genus of small (0.2 – 0.7 µm), Gram-negative coccobacilli of the phylum Proteobacteria. Bordetella species, with the exception of B. petrii, are obligate aerobes, as well as highly fastidious, or difficult to culture. Three species are human pathogens ( B. pertussis, B. parapertussis, B. bronchiseptica); one of these (B. bronchiseptica) is also motile.

B. pertussis and occasionally B. parapertussis cause pertussis or whooping cough in humans, and some B. parapertussis strains can colonise sheep. B. bronchiseptica rarely infects healthy humans, though disease in immunocompromised patients has been reported. B. bronchiseptica causes several diseases in other mammals, including kennel cough and atrophic rhinitis in dogs and pigs, respectively. Other members of the genus cause similar diseases in other mammals, and in birds (B. hinzii, B. avium).

The Bordetella genus is named after Jules Bordet.