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[The re-emergence of pertussis in Tunisia]

A Zouari1, H Smaoui, E Njamkepo

  • 1Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Hôpital d'Enfants de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisie. zouariasma1@yahoo.fr

Medecine Et Maladies Infectieuses
|January 11, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Pertussis remains a concern in Tunisia, particularly among infants. Real-time PCR offers rapid diagnosis for whooping cough, though culture methods are also recommended.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, poses a significant public health challenge globally.
  • Infant pertussis cases require prompt diagnosis and management due to potential severity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the epidemiology of pertussis in Tunisian infants.
  • To evaluate diagnostic methods for pertussis in hospitalized infants.

Main Methods:

  • Nasopharyngeal samples were collected from infants suspected of having pertussis between March 2007 and March 2008.
  • Laboratory confirmation utilized Bordetella species culture and real-time PCR.

Main Results:

  • Of 74 infants studied, 59% were under two months old.
  • Real-time PCR confirmed pertussis in 41% of cases.
  • Bacterial cultures were negative in all investigated infants.

Conclusions:

  • Pertussis remains prevalent in Tunisia, even with high vaccination rates.
  • Real-time PCR is a valuable tool for rapid pertussis diagnosis.
  • Combining PCR with culture methods is advisable for comprehensive diagnosis.
Abstract

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