Seroprevalence of pertussis among Danish patients with cough of unknown etiology

Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2010 Dec;17(12):2016-23. doi: 10.1128/CVI.00270-10. Epub 2010 Oct 6.

Abstract

The common perception that pertussis is only a childhood disease is not correct. Vaccination or infection with Bordetella pertussis provides only short-lived protection against pertussis-and the majority of the population is consequently at risk of contracting pertussis. We evaluated the seroprevalence of pertussis antibodies (IgG against pertussis toxin) in serum samples from 265 Danish patients, aged 8 years and older, with coughs of unknown etiology. Depending on the cutoff chosen, we found that 2.6% to 10.9% of these patients were seropositive for pertussis. Of 178 patients with a reported duration of cough between 2 weeks and 3 months, 3.4% to 12.4% were seropositive for pertussis, indicating recent infection. Our study indicates that B. pertussis infection may be underdiagnosed among older children and adults with coughs in Denmark.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antitoxins / blood
  • Bordetella pertussis / immunology*
  • Child
  • Cough / etiology*
  • Denmark / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Middle Aged
  • Pertussis Toxin / immunology
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Whooping Cough / diagnosis*
  • Whooping Cough / epidemiology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antitoxins
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Pertussis Toxin