Comparing Respiratory Illness Surveillance Case Definitions to Detect Bordetella pertussis in Children Aged <5 Years With Respiratory Illness in South Africa, 2017-2023.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Pertussis is vaccine preventable, and surveillance can guide interventions. Assessing the performance of syndromic surveillance and the World Health Organization (WHO) pertussis case definitions can identify improvements to enhance detection and monitoring of Bordetella pertussis.

Methods

We analyzed respiratory illness sentinel surveillance data among children aged <5 years from January 2017 through December 2023. Participants were enrolled for surveillance as outpatients with influenza-like illness (ILI) or in-patients with severe respiratory illness (SRI). Nasopharyngeal swabs were tested for B pertussis via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sensitivity and specificity, and performance indicators of case definitions were evaluated against PCR results.

Results

SUBMITTER: Bishop K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12811878 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature