BMJ  2006;333:352 (12 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7563.352

Letter

Whooping cough is quite common and can be diagnosed clinically

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Harnden et al, with the help of a recently available blood test, have gone some way to confirm that whooping cough is still about.¹ Since 1977, I have, with the help of my practice colleagues, been recording every clinically diagnosable case of whooping cough (based on a minimum of three weeks of paroxysmal coughing). This year so far we have seen six cases in a practice of 11 000. In 2002 we recorded 44 cases. Ten had blood specimens tested; nine were positive and the 10th was lost. Twenty three had pernasal swabs taken; 14 were positive. This small practice was responsible for 5% of all whooping cough notifications in England and Wales in 2002. This surely cannot be because there is more whooping cough where I work.

I have had four papers published in the BMJ as a result of this study.^2-5 I have decided to publish . . . [Full text of this article]

Keyworth Health Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5JU dougjenkinson@btinternet.com

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