| Basic Characteristics | Properties (Bordetella pertussis) |
| Capsule | Positive (+ve) |
| Catalase | Positive (+ve) |
| Citrate | Negative (-ve) |
| Flagella | Negative (-ve) |
| Gelatin Hydrolysis | Negative (-ve) |
| Gram Staining | Gram-negative (-ve) |
| Growth in nutrient broth | Negative (-ve) |
| Hemolysis | Positive (+ve) |
| Motility | Negative (-ve) |
| Nitrate Reduction | Negative (-ve) |
| Oxidase | Positive(+ve) |
| Pigment | Negative (-ve) |
| Shape | Minute coccobacilli |
| Spore | Negative (-ve) |
| Urease | Negative (-ve) |
| Adipate | Negative (-ve) |
| Caprate | Negative (-ve) |
| Chymotrypsin activity | Positive (+ve) |
| Gluconate | Negative (-ve) |
| Glucose | Negative (-ve) |
| Lactose | Negative (-ve) |
| Malate | Negative (-ve) |
| Maltose | Negative (-ve) |
| Mannitol | Negative (-ve) |
| Phenylacetate | Negative (-ve) |
| Sucrose | Negative (-ve) |
| Xylose | Negative (-ve) |
| Alkaline Phosphatase | Negative (-ve) |
| Esculin Hydrolysis | Negative (-ve) |
| Ester C8 lipase activity | Positive (+ve) |
| Lipase C14 activity | Negative (-ve) |
| Lysine decarboxylase | Negative (-ve) |
| Naphthol-AS-B1 phosphohydrolase activity | Positive (+ve) |
| Trypsin | Negative (-ve) |