title: Survey of pertussis in patients with prolonged cough.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pertussis is an acute respiratory tract illness resulting from Bordetella pertussis. Widespread use of pertussis vaccine over the past 50 years has decreased the incidence of pertussis. The incidence of pertussis in adolescents and adults has increased in many areas of the world. This study aimed to evaluate the etiologic role of B. pertussis in patients with prolonged cough in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with cough lasting for more than 1 week were recruited. Nasopharyngeal swabs were taken for culture of B. pertussis and detection of nucleic acid of B. pertussis by polymerase chain reaction. Serum samples were collected in a subset of patients for assay of immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin A antibodies against pertussis toxin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 111 patients were recruited. Thirty-three patients agreed to have their serum samples taken and tested. Eight patients had evidence of acute infection with B. pertussis; among them, 1 was diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction and 7 by serology. Older subjects were more likely to suffer from pertussis than younger subjects. The incidence of pertussis in patients with prolonged cough was 7.2%. However, the rate could have been as high as 21% in those with serum samples tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that pertussis is a prevalent disease in Taiwan, especially in adolescents and adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Taiwan Adventist Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jen Jan
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Chun Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Luan Yin
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chin Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chen Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Fu Yuan
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chin Yun
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Li Min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D003470:Culture Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D037342:Pertussis Toxin / Q000276:immunology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D003470:Culture Media; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D037342:Pertussis Toxin