Highly Pure Bordetella Pertussis Toxin

The Native Antigen Company has announced the release of a highly purified Bordetella pertussis toxin.

The product has been developed in response to the increasing pressure on the IVD industry to supply highly specific, cost effective antibody capture systems, which are needed for monitoring vaccination programmes.

FHA, a major cause of false results, is absent from the preparation. Manufacturing procedures are geared to ensure minimal lot to lot variation. The toxin is offered in lyophilized format for ease of storage and use.

Pertussis (whooping cough), caused by Bordetella pertussis, is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. There is evidence of a high burden of pertussis in developing countries and it remains one of the worlds leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths.

An estimated 50 million cases and 300 000 deaths occur every year with case-fatality rates in developing countries estimated to be as high as 4% in infants.

The rationale for pertussis surveillance is to monitor the impact of the immunization system, identify high-risk areas and detect outbreaks which can then be investigated.