ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To confirm the clinically suspected pertussis cases(<1 years old) through laboratory methods. METHODS: From December, 2011 to December, 2012, patients with clinically suspected pertussis from Xi'an Children's Hospital were sampled, with their nasopharyngeal swabs collected, blood samples cultured and pertussis toxin IgG detected by PCR. RESULTS: were analyzed, using SPSS 16.0 software. RESULTS: 100 out of the 148 cases were laboratorial confirmed. 3, 88 and 34 cases were positive, through culture, PCR or pertussis toxin IgG respectively. 22 cases were both PCR and pertussis toxin IgG positive. There were significant differences between the results of IS481 PCR, days from the onset of symptoms (P < 0.01) and results of PT-IgG with the days from onset of symptoms (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Since the sensitivity of culture on pertussis was low, diagnosis on the disease should be linked to the results from PCR, PT-IgG and the days from onset of symptoms.