DiaSorin offers a complete Mycoplasma line and a complete Bordetella Pertussis Toxin line on LIAISON® systems.
The LIAISON® Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgG assay uses chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) technology for the semiquantitative determination of specific IgG antibodies to Mycoplasma pneumoniae in human serum or plasma samples. The test has to be performed on the LIAISON® analyzer family.
The LIAISON® Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgM assay uses chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) technology for the qualitative determination of specific IgM antibodies to Mycoplasma pneumoniae in human serum or plasma samples. The test has to be performed on the LIAISON® analyzer family.
The LIAISON® Bordetella pertussis Toxin IgG kit uses chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) technology for the quantitative determination of IgG antibodies to Bordetella pertussis Toxin in human serum and plasma samples. The test has to be performed on the LIAISON® Analyzer family.
The LIAISON® Bordetella pertussis Toxin IgG kit uses chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) technology for the quantitative determination of IgA antibodies to Bordetella pertussis Toxin in human serum and plasma samples. The test has to be performed on the LIAISON® Analyzer family.
Mycoplasmas are the smallest self-replicating organisms that are capable of cell-free existence. Due to the lack of a cell wall, mycoplasmas do not respond to penicillins and other beta-lactams used for the treatment of bacterial pneumonia. Differential diagnosis of M. pneumoniae is crucial for effective patient management.
Transmission of M. pneumoniae is primarily through aerosols from person to person, cyclic epidemics of the virus are observed every 3-7 years, usually in the early autumn. The infection is most common in children aged 2-12, with 80% of adults being seropositive for IgG. M. pneumoniae is responsible for 10-30% of cases of Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP).
Other complications have been reported such as tracheobronchitis, upper respiratory tract disease, asthma and a significant rate of hospitalisation, especially in the elderly. IgM is a reliable marker of acute infection in children, but can present several limitations in adults: IgM can persist for up to a year, therefore is not always indicative of acute infection. Approximately 20% of adults, especially the elderly, do not mount an IgM response, particularly in the case of re-infection. Due to the late elevation of IgG and the high seroprevalence in adults due to past infection, it is advisable, where possible, to test simultaneously for both IgG and IgM. A significant increase in IgG titre from paired specimens collected 2-3 weeks apart indicates current or recent infection.
Bordetella Pertussis
Pertussis, a cough illness commonly known as whooping cough, is a bacterial respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis Gram-negative bacillus, an exclusively human pathogen which can affect people of all ages. The illness is characterized by a prolonged cough often accompanied by an inspiratory whoop. The pertussis toxin (PT) is the exotoxin responsible for many physiological, immunological and pharmacological effects. In contrast to other exotoxins of the species Bordetella, that show high cross-reactivities in serum diagnostics, the Pertussis Toxin is highly specific to B. pertussis.
Centre for Disease Control (CDC) showed that during the 1980s pertussis cases began increasing gradually in the US and by 2013 more than 28,000 cases were reported nationwide. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Pertussis remains one of the world’s leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths, as an estimated 50 million new cases reported each year, with an estimated 300,000 deaths. In developing countries, infant mortality can be as high as 4%. The disease is known in adults and adolescents, but is under-diagnosed, thus leading to reservoirs for infection of unvaccinated infants or susceptible subjects. Serologic testing could be useful for adults and adolescents who present late in the course of their illness (four weeks after onset), when both culture and PCR are likely to be negative. A positive serologic response indicates that the patient has either been exposed to Bordatella Pertussis communally or via vaccination.