Bordetella pertussis stain (Gram-negative, coccobacilli, diplococci arrangement), growth on Bordet-Gengou agar or BCYE plate with added cephalosporin to select for the organism, which shows mercury drop-like colonies. "B. pertussis" can also be detected by PCR, which is more sensitive than culture. The primers used for PCR usually target the transposable elements IS481 and IS1001. Several diagnostic tests are available, especially ELISA kits. These are designed to detect FHA and/or PT antibodies of IgG, IgA, or IgM. Some kits use a combination of antigens which lead to a higher sensitivity, but might also make the interpretation of the results harder, since one cannot
Riggs' disease Riggs himself. Riggs' disease Riggs' disease, also known as pyorrhea of a toothsocket or gingivitis expulsiva, is a historical term for periodontitis (gum disease), The condition was described as a purulent inflammation of the dental periosteum. It was named after American dentist John Mankey Riggs (1811–1885). Riggs' disease was said to produce the progressive necrosis of the alveoli and looseness of the teeth. The teeth may become very loose and fall out of the sockets. Mark Twain wrote briefly about Riggs' disease in his short essay, "Happy Memories of the Dental Chair", in which he claims to have been examined