Bordetella pertussis Bordetella pertussis Bordetella pertussis is a Gram-negative, aerobic, pathogenic, encapsulated coccobacillus of the genus "Bordetella", and the causative agent of pertussis or whooping cough. Unlike "B. bronchiseptica", "B. pertussis" is not motile. Its virulence factors include pertussis toxin, filamentous hæmagglutinin, pertactin, fimbria, and tracheal cytotoxin. The bacterium is spread by airborne droplets; its incubation period is 9–10 days on average (range 6–20 days). Humans are the only known reservoir for "B. pertussis". The complete "B. pertussis" genome of 4,086,186 base pairs was published in 2003. Pertussis is an infection of the respiratory system characterized by a “whooping” sound when the
Gorham's disease Gorham's disease Gorham's disease (pronounced GOR-amz), also known as Gorham vanishing bone disease and phantom bone disease, is a very rare skeletal condition of unknown cause, characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of distended, thin-walled vascular or lymphatic channels within bone, which leads to resorption and replacement of bone with angiomas and/or fibrosis. Current treatments are experimental only. The symptoms of Gorham's disease vary depending on the bones involved. It may affect any part of the skeleton, but the most common sites of disease are the shoulder, skull, pelvic girdle, jaw, ribs, and spine. In some cases, no symptoms are seen