Identification and evaluation of new target sequences for specific detection of Bordetella pertussis by real-time PCR

A comparative analysis of the Bordetella pertussis, B. bronchiseptica, and B. parapertussis genome assemblies permitted the identification of regions with significant sequence divergence and the design of two new real-time PCR assays, BP283 and BP485, for the specific detection of B. pertussis. The performance characteristics of these two assays were evaluated and compared to those of culture and an existing real-time PCR assay targeting the repetitive element IS481. The testing of 324 nasopharyngeal specimens indicated that, compared to culture, the BP283 assay had a sensitivity and specificity of 100 and 96.8% and the BP485 assay had a sensitivity and specificity of 92.3 and 97.1%. Notably, B. holmesii was isolated from two specimens that were positive by the IS481 assay but negative by the BP283 and BP485 assays. These two assays represent an improvement in specificity over those of PCR assays targeting only IS481 and may be duplexed or used in conjunction with existing PCR assays to improve the molecular detection of B. pertussis.