Newcastle Laboratories

B pertussis Culture

Clinical Background:

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough (“violent cough”) has been associated with high morbidity and mortality, particularly in infants. Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease. The main...

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough (“violent cough”) has been associated with high morbidity and mortality, particularly in infants. Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease. The main symptoms include malaise, fever followed by long bursts of coughing and choking leaving the infected person gasping for breath with a characteristic whoop sound.

Laboratory confirmation of clinically suspected cases can be made by culture and isolation of the causative organisms B. pertussis and B. parapertussis, detection of its DNA or serological tests

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Test Details

  • Discipline:

    Microbiology

    Microbiology

  • Specimen Container Adult:

    Pernasal Swab

    Pernasal Swab

  • Specimen Container Paediatric:

    Pernasal Swab

    Pernasal Swab

  • Minimum Volume Adult:

    N/A

    N/A

  • Minimum Volume Paediatric:

    N/A

    N/A

  • Special Requirement:

    Per-nasal swabs are available from microbiology or RVI Admission Suite. Send swabs to laboratory as quickly as possible. If delays likely, refrigerate 2-8 deg C

    Per-nasal swabs are available from microbiology or RVI Admission Suite. Send swabs to laboratory as quickly as possible. If delays likely, refrigerate 2-8 deg C

  • Sample Stability:

    Stable for up to 24 hours

    Stable for up to 24 hours

  • Transport Requirements:

    Standard

    Standard

  • Add On Test:

    N/A

    N/A

  • Quality Assurance:

    UK National External Quality Assurance Scheme (UKNEQAS)

    UK National External Quality Assurance Scheme (UKNEQAS)

  • Interpretation:

    Interpretative comments are added to reports where applicable

    Interpretative comments are added to reports where applicable

  • Reference Ranges:

    N/A

    N/A

  • Factors Affecting Result:

    If delays likely, refrigerate at 2-8 deg C

    If delays likely, refrigerate at 2-8 deg C

  • Referenced Documents:

    Standards of Microbiology Investigations (SMI B 6)

    Standards of Microbiology Investigations (SMI B 6)

Availability:

Performed daily during core hours

Turn Around:

7 days

Send To:

Department of Microbiology

Freeman Hospital
Freeman Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE7 7DN

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