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[Whooping cough: biological diagnosis]

N Guiso1

  • 1Unité des Bordetella, Institut Pasteur, 25, rue du Docteur-Roux, 75724 Paris cedex 15, France. nguiso@pasteur.fr

Archives De Pediatrie : Organe Officiel De La Societe Francaise De Pediatrie
|October 11, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Whooping cough (pertussis) is a severe infant infection. Vaccination has shifted outbreaks to unvaccinated adolescents and adults, necessitating accurate biological diagnostics like PCR and serology for confirmation.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology
  • Immunology

Context:

  • Whooping cough, caused by Bordetella pertussis and B. parapertussis, historically affected most children.
  • Widespread infant vaccination has reduced childhood infections but altered disease transmission patterns.
  • Reduced natural and vaccinal boosters in adolescents and adults increase their susceptibility.

Purpose:

  • To highlight the changing epidemiology of whooping cough due to vaccination.
  • To emphasize the increased risk for unvaccinated infants through transmission from susceptible adolescents and adults.
  • To underscore the necessity of reliable biological diagnostics for confirming pertussis in older populations.

Summary:

  • Pertussis remains a significant threat, especially to infants too young for vaccination.
  • Adolescents and adults, previously vaccinated or infected, now act as reservoirs for Bordetella bacteria.
  • Variable clinical presentations in these age groups necessitate laboratory confirmation using culture, PCR, or serology.

Impact:

  • Understanding pertussis transmission dynamics is crucial for public health strategies.
  • Accurate and timely diagnosis is essential to prevent infant infections and manage outbreaks.
  • The findings support the need for ongoing surveillance and potentially updated vaccination strategies for all age groups.

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