Preparation and Evaluation of Stained Pertussis Antigen for Serodiagnosis of Whooping Cough

For rapid c1inical diagnosis and also determining the immune response of healthy persons to whooping cough a stained pertussis antigen was prepared. In this regard the 48h culture of Bordetella pertussis, Tohama wild strain, on methyl cellulose enrichment medium (B2) was used. The medium was supplemented with methyl cellulose, Rosebangal as vital color and phosphate butTer containing Thiomersal (1/5000). A comparative study with Bordetella pertussis/toxin IgG ELISA has shown that the local antigen is highly specifie and sensitive. Therefore the antigen may provide a diagnostic laboratory tool in epidemiological study.