Ocurrencia de casos de Coqueluche en el seno familiar. Mar Del Plata, 2011

espanolCoqueluche, pertussis o tos convulsa es una enfermedad aguda de las vias respiratorias altamente contagiosa producida principalmente por Bordetella pertussis. Es una de las causas principales de morbi-mortalidad en la ninez. Esta enfermedad no siempre es clinicamente evidenciable en los adultos. El objetivo del trabajo fue describir la ocurrencia de casos de coqueluche en un grupo familiar en la ciudad de Mar del Plata. Se realizo un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de contactos intrafamiliares sintomaticos a partir de la deteccion de un caso confirmado de coqueluche en un lactante. A partir de la confirmacion del caso indice, se analizaron las caracteristicas clinico– epidemiologicas y los resultados de laboratorio de los contactos que fueron clasificados como casos confirmados por nexo epidemiologico. Los estudios de laboratorio consistieron en cultivo, PCR y serologia por tecnica de ELISA. Del estudio surgio que la fuente probable de contagio para el lactante formaba parte del nucleo familiar. De esta manera se resalta la importancia de sospechar y diagnosticar esta enfermedad en pacientes adolescentes y adultos. Se comprueba el rol del nucleo familiar en la transmision de la enfermedad, lo cual conduce a priorizar las estrategias de proteccion para los mas vulnerables a la enfermedad, como la vacunacion durante el embarazo, implementada en Argentina a partir del ano 2012. EnglishPertussis or whooping cough is a highly contagious acute disease of respiratory tract mainly produced by Bordetella pertussis. It is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in childhood. This disease is not always clinically evident in adults. The aim of this study was to describe the occurrence of cases of pertussis in the city of Mar del Plata. It consisted in an epidemiological-retrospective study of household contact of an confirmed case of pertussis in an infant. It was analysed the clinical-epidemiological characteristics and laboratory findings of the household contacts that were classified as cases confirmed by epidemiological link. Laboratory studies were performed by culture and PCR in respiratory samples. For the household contacts, also it was used serology by ELISA technique for detection of total antibodies anti-Bordetella spp. Of the study it could be inferred that the likely source of infection to the infant was part of the family. In this way highlights the importance of suspect and diagnose this disease in adults and adolescent patients. The role of the family in the transmission of the disease, leads to prioritize protection strategies for the most vulnerable to the disease, such as vaccination during pregnancy, implemented in Argentina from the year 2012.