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Detection of Bordetella pertussis in Infants Suspected to have Whooping Cough

Massoud Hajia1, Mohammad Rahbar, Fatemeh Fallah

  • 1Department of Microbiology Iranian Reference Health Laboratory, Ministry of health and medical Education Tehran, Iran.

The Open Respiratory Medicine Journal
|July 4, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Bordetella pertussis, the cause of whooping cough, remains prevalent in infants despite vaccination efforts. This study found pertussis in infants, suggesting a significant number of asymptomatic carriers may contribute to its continued spread.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Despite high vaccination coverage, Bordetella pertussis infections persist globally.
  • Pertussis poses significant mortality and morbidity risks to infants, often presenting asymptomatically in adults.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the frequency of Bordetella pertussis in infants suspected of having whooping cough.
  • To assess the diagnostic agreement between PCR and serology for pertussis detection.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 138 infants under one year of age suspected of whooping cough.
  • Specimens included nasopharyngeal swabs for PCR and sera for ELISA (serology).
  • Data collected between October 2008 and March 2011.

Main Results:

  • The mean age of the study participants was 1.9 ± 0.9 months.
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) detected B. pertussis in 12 cases (8.7%).
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) results generally agreed with PCR, with one borderline case.

Conclusions:

  • The positive detection rate indicates pertussis remains an active community infection.
  • A considerable number of asymptomatic cases likely exist, potentially contributing to disease transmission.
  • Ongoing surveillance and diagnostic efforts for pertussis are crucial, especially in vulnerable infant populations.
Abstract

Keywords:
B. pertussisELISA.PCRWhooping cough

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