Comparative analysis of a Bordetella pertussis patient isolated strain and classical strains used in the pertussis vaccine.

A new Bordetella pertussis strain isolated from a whooping cough Brazilian patient was characterized under molecular and immunological aspects and compared with strains used in the production of whole-cell pertussis vaccine. The isolate, named 21A1, exhibited the bacteriological characteristics classically described for B. pertussis. RAPD and SDS-PAGE analysis showed similar DNA and proteic profiles between classical vaccinal strains and the new isolate. Comparative analysis about the efficacy of vaccines in protecting mice against the intracerebral challenge showed that the 21A1 vaccine was able to induce the highest mouse protection when compared with other B. pertussis vaccines. The results presented here indicate that the inclusion of selected new strain isolates in the composition of the B. pertussis vaccines can be an alternative to maintain or increase vaccine potency.