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
Test Details
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Discipline:
Microbiology
Microbiology
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Specimen Container Adult:
Pernasal Swab
Pernasal Swab
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Specimen Container Paediatric:
Pernasal Swab
Pernasal Swab
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Minimum Volume Adult:
N/A
N/A
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Minimum Volume Paediatric:
N/A
N/A
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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
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Sample Stability:
Stable for up to 24 hours
Stable for up to 24 hours
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Transport Requirements:
Standard
Standard
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Add On Test:
N/A
N/A
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Quality Assurance:
UK National External Quality Assurance Scheme (UKNEQAS)
UK National External Quality Assurance Scheme (UKNEQAS)
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Interpretation:
Interpretative comments are added to reports where applicable
Interpretative comments are added to reports where applicable
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Reference Ranges:
N/A
N/A
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Factors Affecting Result:
If delays likely, refrigerate at 2-8 deg C
If delays likely, refrigerate at 2-8 deg C
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Referenced Documents:
Standards of Microbiology Investigations (SMI B 6)
Standards of Microbiology Investigations (SMI B 6)