Logo Medical Science Monitor

Call: +1.631.470.9640
Mon - Fri 10:00 am - 02:00 pm EST

Contact Us

Logo Medical Science Monitor Logo Medical Science Monitor Logo Medical Science Monitor

01 November 2007

Pertussis is under diagnosed in infants hospitalized with lower respiratory tract infection in the pediatric intensive care unit

David Greenberg, Ellen Bamberger, Shalom Ben-Shimol, Rosa Gershtein, Daniel Golan, Isaac Srugo

Med Sci Monit 2007; 13(11): CR475-480 :: ID: 512897

Abstract

Background: To determine the rate of pertussis in infants aged <1 year hospitalized at the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and to characterize the clinical aspects of these patients.
Material/Methods: Infants <12 months hospitalized with LRTI in the PICU were identified retrospectively. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were obtained. Stored nasopharyngeal washes (NPW) were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the pertussis toxin gene (ptxA) and insertion element IS481 sequences.
Results: Eleven of seventy-four (15%) NPW were positive for pertussis, none of them was clinically suspected. Of the positive patients, 82% suffered from paroxysmal cough vs. 32% of the negative patients and from prolonged cough, 45.5% vs. 8%, respectively (P<0.01). Thirty (41%) patients needed mechanical ventilation with no differences between positive and negative pertussis patients. Infiltrates in x-rays were more common among pertussis negative than among pertussis positive patients, 29% vs. 0% (P=0.05).
Conclusions: Lower respiratory tract infections caused by pertussis are a more frequent cause of admission to the PICU than generally recognized. Patient’s history with paroxysmal cough suggests the possibility of pertussis and the lack of whooping cough does not rule out pertussis. Pediatricians should be aware of the limitations of their diagnostic tools when ruling out pertussis especially in infants with a diagnosis of bronchiolitis. Using new diagnostic methods add considerably to the sensitivity of pertussis diagnosis in PICU and PCR techniques should be used routinely, at least in a PICU setting.

Keywords: Diagnostic Errors, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Whooping Cough - microbiology, Bordetella pertussis - genetics, Diagnosis, Differential, Infant, Newborn, Intensive Care Units, Neonatal, Intensive Care Units, Pediatric, Israel, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Respiratory Tract Infections - diagnosis

Add Comment 0 Comments

573 3

Editorial

01 May 2023 : Editorial  

Editorial: Twenty Years On from Sequencing the Human Genome, Personalized/Precision Oncology Prepares to Meet the Challenges of Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy

Dinah V. Parums
Science Editor, Medical Science Monitor, International Scientific Information, Inc., Melville, NY, USA

DOI: 10.12659/MSM.940911

Med Sci Monit 2023; 29:e940911

0:00

In Press

31 May 2023 : Review article  

Prevalence, Diagnosis, and Management of Eclampsia and the Need for Improved Maternal Care: A Review

Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.939919  

30 May 2023 : Clinical Research  

A Case-Control Study of Cognitive Function in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease Before and After Hemodi...

Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.940409  

30 May 2023 : Review article  

A Review of the Role of the Zebrafish (Danio reiro) in Preclinical and Clinical Models of Biomarker Identif...

Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.940550  

30 May 2023 : Database Analysis  

The COVID-19 Crisis and the Incidence of Alcohol-Related Deaths in Poland

Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.940904  

Most Viewed Current Articles

13 Nov 2021 : Clinical Research  

Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination and Its Associated Factors Among Cancer Patients Attending the Oncology ...

DOI :10.12659/MSM.932788

Med Sci Monit 2021; 27:e932788

0:00

30 Dec 2021 : Clinical Research  

Retrospective Study of Outcomes and Hospitalization Rates of Patients in Italy with a Confirmed Diagnosis o...

DOI :10.12659/MSM.935379

Med Sci Monit 2021; 27:e935379

08 Mar 2022 : Review article  

A Review of the Potential Roles of Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Pharmacological Approaches for the Man...

DOI :10.12659/MSM.936292

Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e936292

01 Jan 2022 : Editorial  

Editorial: Current Status of Oral Antiviral Drug Treatments for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Non-Hospitalized Pa...

DOI :10.12659/MSM.935952

Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e935952

Your Privacy

We use cookies to ensure the functionality of our website, to personalize content and advertising, to provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. If you allow us to do so, we also inform our social media, advertising and analysis partners about your use of our website, You can decise for yourself which categories you you want to deny or allow. Please note that based on your settings not all functionalities of the site are available. View our privacy policy.

Medical Science Monitor eISSN: 1643-3750
Medical Science Monitor eISSN: 1643-3750