title: Pertussis in young infants: apnoea and intra-familial infection.
abstract: This study investigated 41 infants, aged <4 months, who were hospitalised with symptoms compatible with pertussis. Of these, 16 had Bordetella pertussis infection confirmed by real-time PCR. For four of these 16 patients, the initial sample was PCR-negative, but samples collected 5-7 days after the onset of infection were PCR-positive. PCR was also positive with samples from 15/16 families and 20/41 household contacts. Nine of the 20 positive household contacts were asymptomatic. Among the 16 infants with proven pertussis, apnoea was more frequent than in a control group for whom PCR was negative with both children and household contacts (69% vs. 28%). It was concluded that real-time PCR performed with samples from household contacts facilitates the diagnosis of infants suspected clinically of having pertussis, thereby enabling earlier treatment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Bacteriologie, Paris, France. Electronic address: j.raymond@svp.ap-hop-paris.fr.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.affiliation: Service de Pédiatrie Générale et Laboratoire d'Épidémiologie Clinique Pédiatrique, Université Paris 5, Hôpital Saint Vincent de Paul-Cochin, Paris, France.
authors.forename: J-B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Armengaud
authors.affiliation: Service de Pédiatrie Générale et Laboratoire d'Épidémiologie Clinique Pédiatrique, Université Paris 5, Hôpital Saint Vincent de Paul-Cochin, Paris, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cosnes-Lambe
authors.affiliation: Service de Pédiatrie Générale et Laboratoire d'Épidémiologie Clinique Pédiatrique, Université Paris 5, Hôpital Saint Vincent de Paul-Cochin, Paris, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chalumeau
authors.affiliation: Service de Pédiatrie Générale et Laboratoire d'Épidémiologie Clinique Pédiatrique, Université Paris 5, Hôpital Saint Vincent de Paul-Cochin, Paris, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bosdure
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Bacteriologie, Paris, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reglier-Poupet
authors.affiliation: Service de Pédiatrie Générale et Laboratoire d'Épidémiologie Clinique Pédiatrique, Université Paris 5, Hôpital Saint Vincent de Paul-Cochin, Paris, France.
authors.forename: M-J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: El Hajje
authors.affiliation: Service de Pédiatrie Générale et Laboratoire d'Épidémiologie Clinique Pédiatrique, Université Paris 5, Hôpital Saint Vincent de Paul-Cochin, Paris, France.
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Iniguez
authors.affiliation: Service de Pédiatrie Générale et Laboratoire d'Épidémiologie Clinique Pédiatrique, Université Paris 5, Hôpital Saint Vincent de Paul-Cochin, Paris, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moulin
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Bacteriologie, Paris, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Poyart
authors.affiliation: Service de Pédiatrie Générale et Laboratoire d'Épidémiologie Clinique Pédiatrique, Université Paris 5, Hôpital Saint Vincent de Paul-Cochin, Paris, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gendrel
mesh_terms: D001049:Apnea / Q000382:microbiology*; D001885:Bordetella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000382:microbiology*