Rapid and Specific Detection of Bordetella pertussis in Clinical Specimens by LightCycler PCR

Abstract

The bacterium Bordetella pertussis is the causative agent of whooping cough, which is an infectious disease occurring worldwide with a high incidence among young, unvaccinated infants. Related species which may also cause pertussis syndrome are B. parapertussis (milder respiratory infection) and B. bronchiseptica (primarily infecting animals). The striking and unique presentation of classical pertussis does not usually present a clinical diagnostic dilemma. Atypical pertussis, however, which may occur with mild or absent symptoms in adults or previously vaccinated children, offers a greater diagnostic challenge to the clinician. It has been shown that atypical illness in adults is common, endemic, and usually unrecognized [1]. The epidemiological implications of unrecognized pertussis are that exposure of unimmunized infants to individuals with pertussis places them at high risk and that pertussis remains endemic in society. The recent increase in the incidence of pertussis in the United States [2] and the fact that other agents (such as adenovirus, cytomegalovirus, or chlamydiae) are thought to cause pertussis syndrome underscore the need for rapid and accurate diagnostic methods to guide therapeutic and preventive interventions.