title: Pertussis (whooping cough) toxin and Bordetella pertussis whole-cell antibody levels in a healthy New Zealand population.
abstract: Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests were used to measure IgG antibody levels to Bordetella pertussis whole-cell and to pertussis toxin in a healthy New Zealand population. The percentage of individuals with measurable antibody to B pertussis whole-cell increased from 47.3% in the 5 year olds to 93.0% in the 40-49 age group, from which the percentage with antibody dropped to 88.7% in the 50-65 age group. The percentage of persons with antibody to the toxin increased with age from 17.5% in the 5 year olds to 67.0% in the 40-49 age group, from which the percentage of individuals with antibody dropped to 45.4% in the 50-65 age group. Similarly, the percentage of persons with antibody to both B pertussis whole-cell and pertussis toxin increased with age from 15.5% in the 5 year olds to 63.0% in the 40-49 age group, and then the percentage with antibody to whole-cell and toxin dropped to 45.4% in the 50-65 age group. The percentage of individuals with antibody to pertussis toxin is generally markedly lower than the percentage of persons with antibody to B pertussis whole-cell across the age range. Suggestions are made as to how to improve herd immunity for pertussis.
authors.affiliation: National Health Institute, Porirua.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Lau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000276:immunology*; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D037342:Pertussis Toxin