Diagnosing pertussis requires a thorough patient history and evaluation of the patient's current symptoms in addition to laboratory testing. In this case, the results of both the culture and the pertussis nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) confirmed the presence of Bordetella pertussis, the pathogenic agent of "whooping cough."
The physician prescribed azithromycin (also known as a Z-pack) and Tussinex (a cough suppressant).