From the Guidelines
Bordetella bronchiseptica is not preventable by available vaccines, and its infection is typically treated with antibiotics and supportive care. When considering the treatment and prevention of Bordetella bronchiseptica, it is essential to understand that this bacterium is closely related to Bordetella pertussis, which causes whooping cough in humans, but it primarily affects animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, and pigs, causing respiratory infections like kennel cough 1. The clinical presentation of infections caused by Bordetella species other than B. pertussis, including B. bronchiseptica, can be similar to that of classic pertussis but is not preventable by the same vaccines 1. Key points to consider in managing B. bronchiseptica infections include:
- Antibiotic treatment: doxycycline or trimethoprim-sulfonamide combinations are commonly used, with fluoroquinolones like enrofloxacin reserved for severe cases.
- Supportive care: cough suppressants and maintaining good hydration are crucial.
- Prevention in animals: intranasal vaccines can provide rapid immunity within 72 hours.
- Human infection: although rare, it can occur in immunocompromised individuals or those with close contact with infected animals, and similar antibiotic treatments are used, adjusted for human dosing. The ability of B. bronchiseptica to adhere to respiratory epithelium and produce toxins that damage ciliated cells underlines its pathogenicity in respiratory infections 1.
From the Research
Characteristics of Bordetella bronchiseptica
- Bordetella bronchiseptica is a pathogen that can cause respiratory infections in humans and animals 2, 3, 4.
- The infection mainly affects the elderly and individuals with underlying immunosuppressive conditions or preexisting respiratory illnesses 2, 3.
- Symptoms of the infection are exclusively respiratory, and diagnosis is obtained through cytobacteriological tests of sputum, bronchial aspiration, or bronchial fibroscopy with a bronchoalveolar lavage 2.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility
- Bordetella bronchiseptica isolates have shown natural resistance to cephalosporins, monobactam, and fosfomycin, as well as cases of resistance to penicillin A and the trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole association 2.
- Tigecycline, minocycline, doxycycline, colistin, and meropenem have been found to be effective against B. bronchiseptica isolates 3.
- Tetracycline, doxycycline, enrofloxacin, and amoxycillin/clavulanic acid have been shown to be effective against canine B. bronchiseptica isolates 5.
- Tetracycline and enrofloxacin have been found to be effective against porcine B. bronchiseptica isolates, with low MIC90 values 6.
Transmission and Control
- Bordetella bronchiseptica can be transmitted from animals to humans, highlighting the importance of interaction between veterinary and human fields in controlling the infection 4.
- All patients with B. bronchiseptica infection should be treated, regardless of the importance of the inoculum, and all infected animals should be treated to prevent zoonotic transmission 2.