Evaluate the efficiency of Widal test in diagnosis of typhoid Fever in arriving patients to Kirkuk hospitals

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy of widal test by compared with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as standard method and for this purpose 150 blood samples were pulled from patients suspected infected with typhoid fever coming to Azadi Teaching Hospital and Children's Hospital in Kirkuk Governorate from 1-09-2016 to 1-11-2016, and 20 sample of blood were pulled from healthy people considered as a control group. The sample tested by tube titration method of Widal test and also by using ELISA test (antibodies IgM and IgG). The results showed that the percentage of infection in patients with typhoid fever were 74% (111:150) when diagnosed by widal test, and IgM antibodies increasing in ratio 32.6% (49:150) Which indicate as acute phase. IgG antibody recorded increasing with ratio 2.7% (4:150) this indicate as chronic phase. Both types of Ab (IgM and IgG) increasing in ratio 12% (18:150). the accuracy of widal test showed that the Positive and negative predictive value were 49.45%, 87.17% respectively, While the percentage of sensitivity and specificity were 92.95% and 43.03% respectively. We conclude from this study that widal test have high sensitivity for diagnosis typhoid fever but its haven't good Specificity and it must be replace with more accurate testing such as ELISA .