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Specimen Collection

• Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) or Nasopharyngeal swabs are the preferred specimens. Anterior nasal swabs are not appropriate and may give false negative results. 
• Note:  Do NOT use wire-shafted swabs.  Use plastic-shafted flock swabs, snapped off into universal transport medium (UTM) 
• Nose swabs are not acceptable as it is unlikely that the organism will be found in the nose.
• Sputum is not an appropriate sample and will be discarded.
• CSF is not used for pertussis PCR as the bacilli are not found in CSF.  Bordetella toxins may cause pertussis encephalitis and a positive result from a NPA can assist with the diagnosis.

Sensitivity of the assay decreases with time since infection. Samples collected >3 weeks after commencement of cough are unlikely to yield bacterial DNA although infants and children may remain positive for a longer period. 

 

Turnaround Time:

Tested bi-weekly, and results are available within 3 - 4 days.

Assay Method

Test is performed on Panther Fusion  (Hologic).  Panther BP testing is an  IVD assay  on the fully  automated Panther Fusion platform with  a real-time PCR in vitro diagnostic test with qualitative detection and differentiation of Bordetella Pertusis and Bordetella parapertusis.

Diagnostic Use and Interpretation

Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of classical whooping cough, is a gram- negative coccobacillus that infects the ciliated epithelial cells in the posterior nasopharynx.   During the first 3 weeks of cough PCR sensitivity for detection of Bordetella pertussis is high, but drops substantially thereafter. For optimal assay sensitivity specimens should be taken from the posterior nasopharynx.

 

Pertussis is most common in very young infants, who often show symptoms of apnoea and cyanosis rather than the paroxysmal coughing followed by inspirational "whoop." Early diagnosis is essential to guide antibiotic therapy of these severely ill infants.   Immunised children and adults may also exhibit symptoms of bronchiolitis or catarrh.

 

References.

1.      Tatti KM, Wu K-H, Tondella ML et al.2008. Development and evaluation of dual-target real-time polymerase chain reaction assays to detect Bordetella spp. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease:61:264-272.

2.      Wendelboe AM, Rie AV. 2006. Diagnosis of pertussis: a historical review and recent developments. Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics.6:857-864.

3.      Holberg-Petersen M, Jenum PA, Mannsaker T, Melby KK. 2011. Comparison of PCR with culture applied on nasopharyngeal and throat swab specimens for the detection of Bordetella pertussis. Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. 43:221-224. 

Bordetella culture

Bordetella serology

Contact Information

For further information contact the laboratory  (contact via Lablink: 22000 or (09) 307-8995 or 0800 522 7587) ,or:
the Virology team virology@adhb.govt.nz

 

Last updated at 20:02:42 03/09/2024