CASE BASED REVIEW OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY
Bordetella pertussis
Dr Tadayo Hashimoto M.D.
Professor
Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Jerry has no record of DPT vaccination. Mother indicates that Jerry did not receive DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus) vaccine because there was a family history of epilepsy in the maternal uncle.
What is your diagnosis based on the information available at this point?
- The characteristic clinical symptoms of this child who has not been immunized with DPT vaccine strongly suggest that Jerry is suffering from Bordetella pertussis infection (whooping cough).
- If whooping cough is locally epidemic, this characteristic clinical symptom is usually sufficient for making diagnosis. In such cases, microbiological tests are usually not required to establish the diagnosis. In an isolated case, however, the diagnosis must be supported by microbiological tests
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