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
Schamberg disease Schamberg disease Schamberg's disease, (also known as "progressive pigmentary dermatosis of Schamberg", "purpura pigmentosa progressiva" (PPP), and "Schamberg's purpura") is a chronic discoloration of the skin found in people of all ages, usually affecting the legs. It slowly spreads throughout the body, and is most common in males. It is named after Jay Frank Schamberg, who described it in 1901. There is no known cure for this disease and it is not a life-threatening condition. The skin lesions may cause itching, which can be treated by applying cortisone cream. The cortisone cream will only help with the itching and the