Rare Detection of Bordetella pertussis Pertactin-Deficient Strains in Argentina

CARRIQUIRIBORDE, FRANCISCO*; REGIDOR, VICTORIA*; AISPURO, PABLO M.*; MAGALI, GABRIELLI*; BARTEL, ERIKA; BOTTERO, DANIELA; HOZBOR, DANIELA

EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES (ONLINE)

NLM (Medline)

Año: 2019 vol. 25 p. 2048 - 2054

1080-6059

Pertussis resurgence had been attributed to waning vaccine immunity and Bordetella pertussis adaptation to escape vaccine-induced immunity. Circulating bacteria differ genotypically from strains used in production of pertussis vaccine. Pertactin-deficient strains are highly prevalent in countries that use acellular vaccine (aP), suggesting strong aP-imposed selection of circulating bacteria. To corroborate this hypothesis, systematic studies on pertactin prevalence of infection in countries using whole-cell vaccine are needed. We provide pertussis epidemiologic data and molecular characterization of B. pertussis isolates from Buenos Aires, Argentina, during 2000-2017. This area used primary vaccination with whole-cell vaccine. Since 2002, pertussis case incidences increased at regular 4-year outbreaks; most cases were in infants