title: Characteristics of Severe Bordetella pertussis Infection Among Infants ≤90 Days of Age Admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Units - Southern California, September 2009-June 2011.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bordetella pertussis infection can cause severe illness and death among young infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected demographic and clinical information from the medical records of infants who were ≤90 days of age and hospitalized for pertussis in 5 Southern California pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) from September 1, 2009 to June 30, 2011. Infants who died or were diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension were considered to have more severe pertussis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one infants were admitted to a participating PICU. Eight infants had more severe infections, 6 infants had pulmonary hypertension, and 4 infants died. The 8 infants with more severe infections had white blood cell counts that exceeded 30 000, heart rates that exceeded 170, and respiratory rates that exceeded 70 more rapidly after cough onset than the 23 infants with less severe illness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identifying higher-risk infants earlier might allow for more rapid implementation of interventions.
authors.affiliation: California Department of Public Health, Richmond.
authors.forename: Erin L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital of Orange County, Orange.
authors.forename: Delma
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nieves
authors.affiliation: Rady Children's Hospital San Diego.
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.affiliation: Rady Children's Hospital San Diego.
authors.forename: Jessie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gargas
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Wilbert H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.affiliation: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lehman
authors.affiliation: California Department of Public Health, Richmond.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harriman
authors.affiliation: Mattel Children's Hospital, University of California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Cherry
keywords: Fatal Pertussis; Leukocytosis; PICU Care; Pertussis; Pertussis Death; Pulmonary Hypertension