COMPARISON OF POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION, CULTURE, AND WESTERN IMMUNOBLOT SEROLOGY FOR DIAGNOSIS OF BORDETELLA-PERTUSSIS INFECTION

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the pertussis toxin p romoter region was used to detect Bordetella Pertussis infection in na sopharyngeal aspirates collected from 24 infants and children infected with pertussis and 13 adult contacts during an epidemiological study. The sensitivity of this PCR assay was approximately one bacterium, an d the assay was specific for B. pertussis in tests with other Bordetel la species and other respiratory pathogens. The pertussis case definit ion required a cough with a duration of more than 21 days for infants and children and laboratory confirmation by serology as the primary de tection method for infants, children, and adults. The sensitivity of P CR and culture on Bordet-Gengou agar medium was assessed with regard t o the case definitions. In the group of infants and children (index ca ses), the sensitivities of the culture and the PCR were 54.1% (13 of 2 4) and 95.8% (23 of 24), respectively. In the adult group (household c ontacts), the sensitivities of the two methods were 15.4% (2 of 13) an d 61.5% (8 of 13), respectively. PCR combined with pertussis-specific serology appears to be a useful tool for diagnosis of pertussis especi ally in epidemiological studies.