Roche Receives FDA Clearance for 15-Minute Point-of-Care Bordetella PCR Test
Key Insights
Roche's point-of-care PCR test for Bordetella infections (search) received FDA 510(k) clearance with CLIA waiver and CE IVDR certification, enabling rapid diagnosis in clinical settings.
The cobas liat system (search)-based assay delivers results in 15 minutes and differentiates between three clinically relevant Bordetella species causing whooping cough (search) and similar infections.
Pertussis (search) represents a significant global health burden with an estimated 24.1 million cases and 170,000 deaths annually in children under 5 years.
Roche announced that its first point-of-care assay for diagnosing whooping cough (search) and other Bordetella infections (search) has received US Food and Drug Administration 510(k) clearance with a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments waiver, along with CE IVDR certification. The polymerase chain reaction-based test, designed for use on the cobas liat system (search), generates results in 15 minutes, enabling physicians to diagnose patients during the visit and take prompt action, including providing appropriate antibiotics.
Clinical Significance and Disease Burden
Pertussis (search) continues to pose a global health burden, with an estimated 24.1 million cases and 170,000 deaths annually in children younger than 5 years. The disease affects people of all ages but is particularly severe in children. Early manifestations often resemble other respiratory infections, leading to empiric treatment and delayed confirmation. Such delays may permit disease progression.
Diagnostic Capabilities
The assay identifies and differentiates three clinically relevant species: Bordetella pertussis, the primary cause of classic pertussis (search); Bordetella parapertussis (search), which produces a similar but often milder illness with variable response to standard therapy; and Bordetella holmesii (search), an emerging pathogen associated with pertussis-like presentations and diagnostic complexity.
Current Disease Trends
Rising case numbers have been reported, consistent with the disease's 3- to 5-year cyclical pattern. Recent increases may be driven by disruptions in routine vaccination during the pandemic period, waning immunity, and vaccine hesitancy, contributing to broader age-range susceptibility and atypical symptom patterns in older patients.
Technology Platform
The cobas liat system (search) is already used in point-of-care settings worldwide for respiratory diagnostics. It delivers polymerase chain reaction-level accuracy in 20 minutes or less and supports assays for SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, influenza B, respiratory syncytial virus, and group A Streptococcus. The PCR-based assay can detect and differentiate between three types of Bordetella infections (search) that often present with similar cough symptoms.