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Changes to Pertussis Testing

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Changes in Pertussis Testing

In mid October all laboratories that use the Washington State Public Health Laboratories (WA PHL) as their reference laboratory for pertussis testing were notified that WA PHL is discontinuing DFA.  Now in place of kits for DFA and culture, submitters will receive kits for PCR and culture. PCR will be used as the regular screening test on all specimens submitted for culture, in the same way that DFA has been used in the past.  (Testing for King County residents is to be done at Public Health – Seattle & King County laboratory.) 

In situations that meet the epidemiology or surveillance criteria for PCR testing, PCR alone without culture can be requested by health care providers via their local health jurisdiction.

Criteria are based on public health significance:

1.  Ill person is a health care worker.
2.  Ill person was in a health care environment while contagious (e.g..--an ill mom that was coughing at delivery).
3.  Ill person has been in a situation while contagious where there are public health concerns due to a potential for a large number of persons or high risk persons to be exposed (e.g..--an ill person who works in the infant room in a daycare).

The health jurisdiction should make arrangements through WA Department of Health Communicable Disease Epidemiology to request PCR.

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Washington State Department of Health
Communicable Disease Epidemiology
1610 N.E. 150th Street
Shoreline, WA 98155
Phone (206) 418-5500
FAX (206) 418-5515
24-hour contact 1-877-539-4344
 

Last Update : 10/19/2006 05:09 PM
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