Sources of pertussis infection in young babies from São Paulo State, Brazil.
Household contacts are important sources of Bordetella pertussis in infants. A total of 353 household contacts of 97 index cases were evaluated for pertussis by culture and polymerase chain reaction. Twenty eight contacts were positive (8.0%). The presence of symptoms did not influence the rate of diagnosed bacteriologic pertussis in communicants. We conclude that contacts with an index case can be positive for B. pertussis independently of the presence of symptoms.
From the *Pediatric Infectious Diseases; †Epidemiology Department-Faculdade de Ciencias Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, School Medicine of Santa Casa de São Paulo; ‡Laboratory for Pertussis-Instituto Adolfo Lutz-State Secretary Office of Health; §Division of Respiratory Diseases, Epidemiological Vigilance Center, State Secretary Office of Health; ¶Instituto Adolfo Lutz MSci-Instituto Adolfo Lutz-State Secretary Office of Health; and ‖Sanofi Pasteur, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Eitan Naaman
EN
Berezin
José Cassio
JC
de Moraes
Daniela
D
Leite
Telma Regina M P
TR
Carvalhanas
Ana Lucia Frugis
AL
Yu
Roberta Morozetti
RM
Blanco
Marcela
M
Rodrigues
Flavia J
FJ
Almeida
Lucia Ferro
LF
Bricks
D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission