title: High prevalence of Bordetella pertussis in children under 5 years old hospitalized with acute respiratory infections in Lima, Peru.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pertussis diagnosis may go unrecognized when other pathogens, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) circulate.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in Lima, Peru from January 2009 to September 2010. A total of 596 children under 5 years old admitted with clinical diagnoses of acute respiratory infections were test for B. pertussis and RSV detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pertussis toxin and IS481 genes were detected in 19.12% (114/596) of the cases and the respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV-A and RSV-B) were identified in 17.28% (103/596) of patients. Infants under 3 months old were the most frequently affected by this pathogens in 43% (49/114) and 35.9% (37/103) respectively. An increase of B. pertussis was observed from February to March and from October to November with a Seasonal index between 1.32 and 1.51 and 1.24-3.5 respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epidemiologic surveillance for B. pertussis is essential in Peru, especially in children that could most benefit from the vaccine. B. pertussis should be suspected in infants hospitalized for acute respiratory symptoms for early treatment and prevent complications.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - UPC, Av. San Marcos cdra. 2. Cedros de Villa, Lima, Peru. ivanita.89@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pavic-Espinoza
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - UPC, Av. San Marcos cdra. 2. Cedros de Villa, Lima, Peru. sandyta291@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bendezú-Medina
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - UPC, Av. San Marcos cdra. 2. Cedros de Villa, Lima, Peru. angella_h@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Angella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herrera-Alzamora
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - UPC, Av. San Marcos cdra. 2. Cedros de Villa, Lima, Peru. pablo.weilg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weilg
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - UPC, Av. San Marcos cdra. 2. Cedros de Villa, Lima, Peru. mariajesus.pons@isglobal.org.
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pons
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - UPC, Av. San Marcos cdra. 2. Cedros de Villa, Lima, Peru. pcmemiag@upc.edu.pe.
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Luis
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - UPC, Av. San Marcos cdra. 2. Cedros de Villa, Lima, Peru. pcnumpet@upc.edu.pe.
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Petrozzi-Helasvuo
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - UPC, Av. San Marcos cdra. 2. Cedros de Villa, Lima, Peru. jdelvall@upc.edu.pe.
authors.forename: Juana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: del Valle Mendoza
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D060085:Coinfection; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D037342:Pertussis Toxin / Q000235:genetics; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D037342:Pertussis Toxin