Hemagglutination Test for Pertussis Antibody with a Soluble Extract of Bordetella Pertussis

Abstract

A hemagglutination test employing tanned sheep erythrocytes sensitized with an extract of the pertussis organism was developed. It was used as a procedure to detect antibody response after immunization with pertussis vaccine. A study of 44 individuals given a series of 3 injections showed an increase in titer as a result of the injections. Blood from immunized infants, tested at 3 months of age, had hemagglutination titers of 2048 to 4096, whereas the cord blood titer was eight or less than eight. It appears that the mother does not generally transmit antibodies to the infant. Mice challenged with the pertussis organism were protected by the sera giving high hemagglutination titers.