A 7-month-old, paially immunized child presented with cough ending in characteristic whoop. Which of the following is considered the best type of specimen to isolate the organism and confirm the diagnosis

Ans. (a) Nasopharyngeal swab Culture of nasopharyngeal secretion is the gold standard for diagnosis. The best specimen is collected by nasopharyngeal aspirations. An alternative to the aspirate is a dacron or rayon nasopharyngeal swab. Note PCR, due to its quick result, is replacing culture in many laboratories