Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

[Whooping cough in adults].

C H Wirsing von König1, A Tacken, H Finger

  • 1Institut für Hygiene und Laboratoriumsmedizin, Städtische Krankenanstalten Krefeld.

Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)
|April 26, 1991
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Re: 'Association between pertactin-producing Bordetella pertussis and fulminant pertussis in infants: a multicentre study in France, 2008-2019' by Leroux et al.

Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases·2025
Same author

Pertussis vaccination in mixed markets: Recommendations from the Global Pertussis Initiative.

International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases·2020
Same author

Pertussis surveillance by small serosurveys of blood donors.

Epidemiology and infection·2018
Same author

Latent class analysis of diagnostic tests for adenovirus, Bordetella pertussis and influenza virus infections in German adults with longer lasting coughs.

Epidemiology and infection·2015
Same author

Analysis of Bordetella pertussis clinical isolates circulating in European countries during the period 1998-2012.

European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology·2014
Same author

Investigations into the emergence of pertactin-deficient Bordetella pertussis isolates in six European countries, 1996 to 2012.

Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin·2014
Same journal

Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)·2026
Same journal

["Not everything that looks like a tumor..." - Pulmonary tularemia with hilar lymphadenopathy].

Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)·2026
Same journal

[Emergency management of sickle cell disease].

Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)·2026
Same journal

[Hereditary dehydrated stomatocytosis (= hereditary xerocytosis) - Interesting hummingbird or clinically relevant diagnosis?]

Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)·2026
Same journal

[Diagnosis of Congenital Hemolytic Anemias in Adults].

Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)·2026
Same journal

[46-year-old female patient with right upper abdominal pain].

Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)·2026
See all related articles

Pertussis in adults is often characterized by persistent cough, differing from childhood symptoms. Diagnosis requires considering pertussis (whooping cough) in adults with prolonged cough, even without typical childhood signs.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology
  • Bacteriology

Background:

  • Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory infection.
  • While typically diagnosed in children, pertussis can affect adults, often presenting with atypical symptoms.
  • Understanding adult pertussis is crucial for accurate diagnosis and public health management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and epidemiological characteristics of pertussis in adults.
  • To compare adult pertussis cases with those in a pediatric control group.
  • To emphasize the importance of considering pertussis in adult differential diagnoses for persistent cough.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 169 adult pertussis cases diagnosed over four years.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Comparison with a control group of 2,771 children.
  • Diagnostic methods included symptom assessment, bacteriological examination of nasopharyngeal swabs, and serological testing for Bordetella pertussis antibodies (IgG, IgA, IgM).

    • Main Results:

    • Adults predominantly presented with persistent cough; characteristic childhood symptoms like rib retraction and vomiting were significantly less common.
    • Bordetella pertussis was confirmed bacteriologically in 11% of adults versus 45% in children; serological confirmation was high in adults (IgG 81%, IgA 91%).
    • More women than men were diagnosed with pertussis in the adult group (P < 0.01), contrasting with the sex distribution in children.

    Conclusions:

    • Pertussis in adults often manifests primarily as a persistent cough, necessitating its inclusion in the differential diagnosis.
    • Diagnostic approaches should integrate clinical symptoms, bacteriology, and serology for accurate identification in adults.
    • The higher incidence in adult women warrants further investigation into potential contributing factors.