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Pertussis diagnosis in Belgium: results of the National Reference Centre for Bordetella anno 2015.

Martini, H
Rodeghiero, C
Van den Poel, C
Vincent, Muriel
Piérard, D
Huygen, K
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Abstract

In 2015, the Belgian National Reference Centre for Bordetella analyzed 4110 respiratory samples by qPCR and 4877 serum samples by serology. Whereas about 50% of respiratory samples were from infants and children below the age of five, serum samples were distributed among all age categories. A total of 394 (9·6%) cases was diagnosed as positive for Bordetella pertussis by qPCR and 844 (17·3%) cases were diagnosed as acute infection by serology (anti-pertussis toxin (PT) IgG > 125 IU/ml). Another 1042 (21·4%) sera had anti-PT IgG between 55 and 125 IU/ml reflecting a vaccination or pertussis infection during the last 1-2 years. Seventy per cent of the pertussis cases diagnosed by qPRC were in infants and children younger than 14 years old, whereas the highest number of sera with anti-PT levels >125 IU/ml was in the age group of 10-14 years old. Based on the limited data of the last vaccination (reported for only 15% of the samples), recent booster vaccination in the teenager group may have contributed only minimally to these elevated anti-PT levels. The highest number of sera with anti-PT titers between 55 and 125 IU/ml was found in the age category 50-59 years old. It is clear that pertussis continues to be a problem in Belgium and that other vaccination strategies (maternal vaccination, cocoon vaccination) and ultimately better vaccines will be needed to control this highly infectious respiratory disease.

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2017-08-01
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Peer reviewed scientific article
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ADOLESCENT, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Belgium, Bordetella pertussis, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, incidence, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, middle aged, Seasons, Whooping Cough, Young adult
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