[Pertussis: incidence, symptoms and costs].
OBJECTIVE
A prospective sentinel study into the population-based incidence of pertussis in adults was done between 2001 and 2004 in Rostock (former East Germany) and Krefeld (former West Germany).


METHODS
971 outpatients, who consulted general practitioners or internists, were included. Clinical inclusion criteria were coughing for one week or more and no chronic respiratory diseases. Bordetella infection was diagnosed by PCR on nasopharyngeal swabs and ELISA for serology (IgG-anti-PT, IgA-anti-PT, IgG-anti-FHA, IgA-anti-FHA).


RESULTS
We found a total of 97 cases of pertussis in this cohort. The main symptom was coughing for a median of 7-8 weeks. Population-based incidence was estimated in Krefeld at 169 cases/100000 population per year, and in Rostock at 160/100000 per year. Resource use was 120 EUR of direct medical cost and 434 euro of indirect medical cost, not including hospitalization in this study.


CONCLUSIONS
Pertussis is a frequent cause of longer lasting cough in German adults, and it causes significant morbidity and costs.
Riffelmann
M
M
Institut für Infektiologie Krefeld GmbH, Krefeld. riffelmann_hyg@klinikum-krefeld.de
Littmann
M
M
Hülsse
C
C
O'Brien
J
J
Wirsing von König
C H
CH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*