Establish evidence of infection/exposure to Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough.

Patients with acute infection develop IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies to fimbrial agglutinogens, and IgM and IgA antibodies are probably diagnostic. Following vaccination, IgG and IgM antibodies can be demonstrated. IgG antibodies can only be used to diagnose acute infection when paired sera are available and a rise in antibody level can be demonstrated.