A 6-week-old infant born at 36 weeks gestation is hospitalized with paroxysms of cough followed by gasping and cyanosis due to Bordetella pertussis. His white blood cell count is 94,000/μL with 80% lymphocytes, and his platelet count is 782,000/μL. He develops progressive respiratory failure and cardiogenic shock. Which pathophysiologic process is most strongly associated with this severe clinical course and fatal outcome?