Laboratory diagnosis of pertussis: A survey on provincial public health laboratory methods.

Background: Pertussis, a vaccine preventable respiratory illness caused by the bacterium Objective: To examine the breadth and depth of pertussis strain surveillance currently being carried out across Canada. Methods: A survey was sent to all ten provincial public health laboratories inquiring how pertussis was diagnosed or identified in the laboratory, including the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic methods, bacteriological culture, identification and strain characterization such as molecular typing and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Results: Nine of the ten provincial laboratories provided responses. Five provincial laboratories reported performing bacteriological culture, and some only from specimens that tested positive by PCR. Long-term storage of submitted and historical specimens took place in six laboratories. Identification of Conclusion: Given the global increase in pertussis, with the emergence of macrolide-resistant and pertactin-deficient strains, strain characterization should be added to the Canadian national pertussis surveillance program.