title: Characterization of serological responses to pertussis.
abstract: We have compared the use of five nonvaccine antigens to the use of conventional vaccine antigens, pertussis toxin (PT), and filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) for the serological diagnosis of pertussis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The nonvaccine antigens included the catalytic region of adenylate cyclase toxin (CatACT), the C-terminal region of FHA (C-FHA), lipooligosaccharide (LOS), the peptidoglycan-associated lipoprotein (PAL), and the BrkA protein. The serological responses of individuals with culture-confirmed pertussis were compared to those of adults with no recent history of a coughing disease. An immunoglobulin G (IgG) ELISA for PT was the most sensitive (92.2%) test for the serodiagnosis of pertussis. Of the nonvaccine antigens, ELISA for IgG responses to CatACT (sensitivity, 62.8%), C-FHA (sensitivity, 39.2%), and LOS IgA (sensitivity, 29.4%) were less sensitive but could also distinguish culture-positive individuals from control individuals. The use of a combination of multiple ELISA targets improved the sensitivity of the assay for serological diagnosis. Elevated IgG and IgA antibody titers persisted for more than a year in the individuals with culture-confirmed pertussis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0524, USA.
authors.forename: Mineo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Beverly
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Connelly
authors.forename: Alison A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D042483:Bordetella parapertussis / Q000276:immunology; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine