Correlation studies on Widal agglutination reaction and diagnosis of typhoid fever
Itah, A.Young.; Akpan, C.J.
Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 35(1): 88-91
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-1562 PMID: 15272749 Document Number: 569187
A total of 80 patients at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) suspected of having enteric infections were screened for the presence of Salmonella species using blood, urine and stool samples along with Widal agglutination tests. Although 39 patients tested positive for the Widal agglutination test with titers ranging from 1:80 to 1:320, no Salmonella organism was encountered in some cultures. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences (chi2) at the 5% probability level between the Widal test and the cultures of the clinical samples. The results suggest that serological investigations alone may not be a reliable index for the diagnosis of Salmonella infections.