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Bordetella Pertussis IgG and IgA Antibodies Seroprevalence Among 1–35 y-old Population: The Role of Subclinical Pertussis Infection

The Indian Journal of Pediatrics volume 79, pages 353–357 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

To determine age-dependent pertussis specific IgG and IgA antibodies seroprevalence in apparently healthy subjects.

Methods

A total of 595 healthy 1-35-y-old individuals divided into 5 different age groups were selected from Sari district. Antipertussis IgG and IgA antibodies levels were measured quantitatively by ELISA method. Positive sera for IgA and also IgG titer ≥150 were considered for recent pertussis infection.

Results

High seroprevelence levels (72% and 71%) were observed among preschool (<7 y) children. After decreasing the seroprevelence rates significally to lowest level (54.4%) among school aged (7–11 y), the rates increased again to the highest levels of 60% and 73% at adulthood (P = 0.03 and P = 0.003). In total, 1.55% of study subjects were IgA positive, and 5.7% showed high IgG titers.

Conclusions

The present study reveals, vaccine induced immunity has decreased among school-aged children and natural pertussis infection is common among adolescent and young adults. Also, asymptomatic/sub-clinical recent pertussis infection was prevalent among studied population. These findings necessitate developing new strategies to reduce and control pertussis infection in Iran.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thanks public health staff for their help in recruiting subjects for this study, and parents of children and children for their participation in this study.

Conflict of Interest

None.

Role of Funding Source

This work was supported by vice-chancellor for research Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences Grant No 8835, 2008.6.24.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric infectious diseases, Bouali-Cina Hospital, Pasdaran Boulevard, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

    Mohammed-Jafar Saffar

  2. Department of Biostatics, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

    Ali-Reza Khalilian

  3. Department of Immunology and Research Center for Molecular Biology and Immunology, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

    Ali-Reza Rafee

  4. Provincial center for diseases control and prevention, Deputy of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

    Mohammed Reza Parsaei, Shadi Imanikhani & Jalil Shojaei

  5. Department of pathology, Sharieti Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Hana Saffar

Authors
  1. Mohammed-Jafar Saffar
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  2. Ali-Reza Khalilian
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  3. Ali-Reza Rafee
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  4. Mohammed Reza Parsaei
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  5. Shadi Imanikhani
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  7. Hana Saffar
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Correspondence to Mohammed-Jafar Saffar.

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Saffar, MJ., Khalilian, AR., Rafee, AR. et al. Bordetella Pertussis IgG and IgA Antibodies Seroprevalence Among 1–35 y-old Population: The Role of Subclinical Pertussis Infection. Indian J Pediatr 79, 353–357 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-011-0593-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-011-0593-8

Keywords

  • Pertussis
  • Pertussis infection
  • Pertussis IgG seroprevalence
  • Pertussis IgA seroprevalence