Bordetella pertussis serodiagnostics: state-of-the-art products from EUROIMMUN

To diagnose an acute Bordetella pertussis infection serologically, it is, according to up-to-date knowledge, usually sufficient to perform a single determination of IgG antibodies against pertussis toxin (PT). The second blood withdrawal is omitted, and results are interpreted according to the following scheme:

If a more in depth investigation is necessary, antibodies against pertussis toxin (IgA) and against filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA; IgG or IgA) are measured separately. Generally, test systems that use a mixture of PT and FHA as the antigen are not recommended – they do not allow any meaningful quantification. Age-dependent reference ranges can be obtained from the internet.

EUROIMMUN products ensure consistent, reproducible and state-of-the-art Bordetella pertussis serological diagnostics. The ELISAs are CE-labelled and allow the separate detection of specific antibodies against PT and FHA. Results are evaluated in international units (IU/ml). The ELISAs are complemented by immunoblots for simultaneous investigation of antibodies against adenylate cyclase toxin (ACT), PT and FHA.