Acceptable specimens for the detection of B. pertussis are:

a. throat swabs.
b. sputum.
c. nasopharyngeal aspirates.
d. anterior nose swabs.


C
Nasopharyngeal aspirates or nasopharyngeal swabs (e.g., calcium alginate, Dacron on a wire handle) are acceptable specimens because B. pertussis colonizes the ciliated epithelial cells of the upper respiratory tract. Specimens obtained from the throat, sputum, or anterior nose are unac-ceptable because these sites are not lined with ciliated epithelium. For collection, the swab is bent to conform to the nasal passage and held against the posterior aspect of the nasopharynx. If coughing does not occur, then another swab is inserted into the other nostril to initiate the cough. The swab is left in place during the entire cough, removed, and then immediately inoculated onto a selective medium at the bedside.

Biology & Microbiology

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