Which organism is the classic cause of whooping cough?

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The main idea is that whooping cough is caused by Bordetella pertussis. This small Gram-negative coccobacillus invades the ciliated cells of the respiratory tract and releases toxins, especially pertussis toxin, which disrupts normal mucociliary clearance and triggers the characteristic paroxysmal coughing fits. The deep, noisy inhalation after a coughing spell—the whoop—stems from the effort to take air in after these intense bouts. The disease often progresses from a mild catarrhal phase to a severe paroxysmal phase, then a gradual recovery. Vaccination (DTaP) helps prevent it, and diagnostic testing can include culture on Bordet-Gengou medium or PCR from nasopharyngeal specimens. The other organisms listed cause different respiratory diseases ( Legionella with atypical pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae in epiglottitis and other infections, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in tuberculosis) and do not produce the classic pertussis illness.