Tuberc Respir Dis.  2012 Nov;73(5):266-272. 10.4046/trd.2012.73.5.266.

A Multicenter Study of Pertussis Infection in Adults with Coughing in Korea: PCR-Based Study

• Park S
• Lee MG
• Lee KH
• Park YB
• Yoo KH
• Park JW
• Kim C
• Lee YC
• Park JS
• Kwon YS
• Seo KH
• Kim HJ
• Kwak SM
• Kim JO
• Lim SY
• Sung HY
• Jung SO
• Jung KS

• KMID: 2050679
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2012.73.5.266

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Limited data on the incidence and clinical characteristics of adult pertussis infections are available in Korea.
METHODS
Thirty-one hospitals and the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated to investigate the incidence and clinical characteristics of pertussis infections among adults with a bothersome cough in non-outbreak, ordinary outpatient settings. Nasopharyngeal aspirates or nasopharyngeal swabs were collected for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and culture tests.
RESULTS
The study enrolled 934 patients between September 2009 and April 2011. Five patients were diagnosed as confirmed cases, satisfying both clinical and laboratory criteria (five positive PCR and one concurrent positive culture). Among 607 patients with cough duration of at least 2 weeks, 504 satisfied the clinical criteria of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (i.e., probable case). The clinical pertussis cases (i.e., both probable and confirmed cases) had a wide age distribution (45.7+/-15.5 years) and cough duration (median, 30 days; interquartile range, 18.0~50.0 days). In addition, sputum, rhinorrhea, and myalgia were less common and dyspnea was more common in the clinical cases, compared to the others (p=0.037, p=0.006, p=0.005, and p=0.030, respectively).
CONCLUSION
The positive rate of pertussis infection may be low in non-outbreak, ordinary clinical settings if a PCR-based method is used. However, further prospective, well-designed, multicenter studies are needed.

Keyword

Adult; Cough; Incidence; Whooping Cough; Signs and Symptoms

MeSH Terms

Adult
Age Distribution
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
Cough
Dyspnea
Humans
Incidence
Outpatients
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Sputum
Whooping Cough

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