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Bordetella pertussis TestAka: Whooping Cough Test, Pertussis Diagnostics, Pertussis Culture, Pertussis PCR

Obtaining Samples
1. Polyester swab of nasopharynx
  1. Insert into base of nostril
  2. Leave swab in place for 10 seconds
2. Nasopharyngeal aspirate
  1. Higher efficacy than swab
  2. Requires special equipment
Tests: Recommended by CDC
1. Nasopharyngeal swab PCR (preferred)
  1. Indicated as first-line test for Pertussis
  2. Test Sensitivity: 94%
  3. Test Specificity: 97%
  4. Result returned in 1-2 days
  5. Pertussis culture recommended by CDC for confirmation
2. Pertussis culture
  1. Indicated for confirmation of positive PCR
  2. Test Specificity: 100%
  3. Test Sensitivity
    1. Overall: 15%
    2. Early disease: 80%
    3. After Erythromycin for 4 days: approaches 0%
  4. Result returned in 7-12 days
Tests: Not recommended by CDC
1. Pertussis Direct Fluorescent Antibody (DFA)
2. Pertussis Serology (not standardized)
References
1. Gregory (2006) Am Fam Physician 74:420
2. Loeffelholz (1999) J Clin Microbiol 37:2872

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 5/10/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.