Effectiveness of the whole-cell pertussis vaccine produced in Poland against different Bordetella parapertussis isolates in the mouse intranasal challenge model

► The effectiveness of the whole-cell pertussis vaccine produced locally and routinely used in Poland against Bordetella parapertussis strains from the lungs and trachea of a mouse model was studied. ► The effectiveness of B. parapertussis elimination rates from the lungs of whole-cell pertussis immunized mice was found to be lower than against Bordetella pertussis isolates. ► The average protective effect of whole-cell pertussis vaccine comparing with acellular one against B. parapertussis in the lungs of mice was significantly higher. ► The level of protection and course of B. parapertussis infection in the lungs and trachea seemed to be strain specific.