PERTUSSIS INFECTION AMONG ADULTS DURING THE 1993 OUTBREAK IN CHICAGO

To evaluate the role of adults in the transmission of pertussis during an epidemic, persons presenting with unexplained cough to ambulatory care clinics were evaluated for evidence of pertussis infection, Nasop haryngeal specimens for culture and serum samples for IgG and Ig;A ant ibodies to filamentous hemagglutinin and pertussis toxin antigens of B ordetella pertussis were obtained, Thirty-eight adults were enrolled i n the study; 10 (26%) had serologic evidence of B. pertussis infection , Clinical findings were not significantly different among persons wit h and without evidence of pertussis infection, Pertussis should be con sidered in the differential diagnosis of persistent cough in all age g roups, Future use of new acellular pertussis vaccines in adults may su bstantially impact the control of the infection.