title: Usefulness of laboratory methods in diagnosis of pertussis in adult with paroxysmal cough.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pertussis is an acute, highly contagious bacterial infection of respiratory system caused by Bordetella pertussis. Principally, disease affects young children, however, recently it is also reported in adolescents and adults. Symptoms of pertussis in adults are non-specific, i.e. dry, paroxysmal and protracted cough. Thus, it is rarely diagnosed in this group.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper aimed at evaluating the usefulness of the laboratory methods in diagnosis of pertussis in adults based on a case presenting with dry, paroxysmal and chronic cough.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sputum (collected on 25th January 2013) and paired serum samples (collected on 13th February and 19 April 2013) were tested. Pertussis diagnostics involved culture, in-house PCR, real-time PCR and ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sputum culture, using commercial medium Bordetella Selective Medium by Oxoid did not reveal the presence of B. pertussis. Real-time PCR and PCR, however, confirmed the presence of insertion sequence IS481 and pertussis toxin promoter sequence ptx-Pr, markers indicative of B. pertussis infection. Serological testing revealed the high titres of IgA, IgG and IgM antibodies to B. pertussis in the first sample. In the second sample, collected 2 months following the first one, a significant decrease in IgA antibodies was reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest a high usefulness of the laboratory methods in the diagnosis of pertussis in adults with chronic cough. Application of such methods ensures adequate diagnosis of disease, quick introduction of proper treatment and implementation of procedures preventing the spread of infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Piekarska
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rzeczkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw.
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rastawicki
authors.affiliation: Oncology Centre - Maria Skłodowska-Curie Institute in Warsaw.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dąbrowska-Iwanicka
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw.
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Paradowska-Stankiewicz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D037342:Pertussis Toxin / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D037342:Pertussis Toxin