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
Byne's disease high humidity can also affect pyrite (or its more reactive polymorph marcasite) (iron sulphide) fossils in a somewhat similar condition, which is known as pyrite disease. The iron sulfide can react with water and oxygen to form iron sulfates and sulfuric acid, which then can produce Bynesian decay. Byne's disease Byne's disease, more accurately known as Bynesian decay, is a peculiar and permanently damaging condition (resulting from an ongoing chemical reaction) which often attacks mollusk shells that are in storage or on display for long periods of time. Bynesian decay is a form of efflorescence of salts formed by the