Title: Study of the Baseline Widal Titres among Healthy Population in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Central India

Authors: Nidhi Sharma, Kharibam Surpati Devi, Akhilesh P.S.Tomar

 DOI:  https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i4.96

Abstract

Background: In developing countries like India, Enteric fever is endemic. Widal agglutination test is used for its diagnosis. In a single serum sample the only test frequently relied upon for laboratory diagnosis is Widal test.  A rising titre in paired sera or in single sera test if the antibody titres are higher than the cut - off value the test is considered positive. But in our area normal baseline titres in various individuals and cut-off values have not been established. So the aim of our study was to determine the base line titres of antibodies in apparently healthy individuals and thereby define the significant titres of the Widal test.

Materials & Methods: 170 samples after being screened by Widal slide agglutination test  and were further confirmed by the Quantitative tube agglutination test, to find out the baseline Widal titre among various individuals.

Result: The most frequently recorded titre for O agglutinins were 1:40 and for the H agglutinins were 1:40. The baseline anti-H agglutinin titre of the paratyphoid A (H) were 1:40 and Paratyphoid B (H) were 1:20.

Conclusion: In our locality for the diagnosis of enteric fever if a single Widal titre is used,  probably the most appropriate  cut-off titres against S. typhi being ≥ 1 in 80 for  anti-O and > 1 in 80 for anti-‘H’ agglutinins.

Keywords: Widal test, Slide agglutination test, Tube agglutination test, Cut-off titre, Baseline titre.

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Corresponding Author

Nidhi Sharma

Sukh Sagar Medical College & Hospital

Mukanwara Road, Jabalpur, M.P, India

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +918839744727