REACTION OF A WIDAL REAGENT WITH SERUM SAMPLES FROM SUSPECTED TYPHOID PATIENTS
REACTION OF A WIDAL REAGENT WITH SERUM SAMPLES FROM SUSPECTED TYPHOID PATIENTS
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1997-04
Authors
AZIE MBUH, Florence
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Blood samples from 222 patients referred for the Widal
test in four hospitals located in Zaria and 52 blood
samples from apparently healthy persons (controls) were
examined for typhoid fever using the widal test and blood
culture methods. Blood smears were also examined for
malaria parasites. All serum samples were tested for
antibodies to the somatic (0) and flagella (H) antigens of
S. Typhi by the rapid slide widal screening test and rapid
slide titration agglutination test. S. typhi isolates were
tested for antibiotic susceptibility.
Out of the 222 patient samples S. typhi O antibody
titres greater than or equal to 1 in 20 were detected in
111 (50%). Antibody titres greater than or equal to 1 in 40
to the H antigen were detected in 190 (86%) patient
samples. In the control group, 16 samples (30.1%) had anti
O titres of greater or equal to 1 in 20, while anti H
titres of greater or equal to 1 in 40 were detected in 40
(77%) samples. Over all a significant anti 0 titre of
greater or equal to 1 in 160 was found in 56 patients
(25.2%) and in 16 (11.5%) healthy persons. Sixty patients
(27%) and 12 healthy persons (23.1%) had malaria parasites.
Parasite density (ul) was higher in the patients than in
the control group. A correlation analysis showed that there
was no correlation between parasite count and Widal titres.
Fourteen patient samples yielded S. typhi on culture
while all control samples were culture negative. The
difference between the incidence of typhoid fever by Widal
(25.2%) and culture (6.3%) was statistically significant
(P<0.01). Because of the wide distribution of antibodies
detected by the widal test, clinicians are advised to be
careful in making conclusions based on the Widal test.
Laboratory diagnosis of typhoid fever should be based on
culture or paired results of Widal tests. Although the
level of parasitemia did not influence Widal titres there
was wide occurrence of Salmonella antibodies in malaria
patients and carriers. All S. typhi isolates were sensitive
to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, nitrofurantoin cephalexin
and floxacin while 7 (50%) isolates and 4(28.6%) isolates
were resistant to ampicillin and co-trimoxazole
respectively.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Postgraduate School
Ahmadu Bello University, in partial fulfillment the
requirements for the award of the Degree of
Master of Science (M.Sc) Microbiology
Department of Microbiology
Faculty of Science
Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria, Nigeria.
APRIL, 1997
Keywords
REACTION,, WIDAL,, REAGENT,, SERUM,, SAMPLES,, SUSPECTED,, TYPHOID,, PATIENTS,