PERTUSSIS AS THE CAUSE OF RECURRENT BRADYCARDIA IN A YOUNG INFANT

Abstract

Repeated episodes of cough, apnea and cyanosis are common manifestations of pertussis in neonates and very young infants. In this age group the whoop is frequently absent and cough may be comparatively insignificant so that the diagnosis of pertussis sometimes remains unsuspected. We report a newborn infant referred to us for severe, recurrent and life-threatening episodes of bradycardia followed by choking, gagging, apnea and cyanosis, initially not preceded by cough, and in which cough was absent or trivial later in the hospital course.