Determination of the baseline titre level of salmonellae antibodies in the sera of the normal population of Asante Akim North District of Ashanti Region, Ghana using the widal test for the diagnosis of typhoid fever
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Date
2002-11-29
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Abstract
The Widal test was used to determine the frequency distribution of S.typhi, S. paratyphi A, B, and C residual antibodies among 300 normal individuals with no history of typhoid fever and TAB vaccination in the Asante Akim North District of Ashanti Region-Ghana.
Agglutinins against S.typhi are found more frequently in the district. The reasons for this and the possible cause of the observed relatively high incidence of agglutinins against the antigens of S.Paratyphi A, B, and C is also discussed.
The basal antibody titre level in the normal population was found to be 29.1, 21.4, 24.9 and 25.3 respectively for the 0 antigen of S typhi; S paratyphi A B and C.
On the other hand, 25.5 .35.6, 25.5 and 24.0 respectively for the H antigen of S.typhi. S. paratyphiA, B and Cwere scored.
Less than 5% of the population studied showed agglutination titre of greater than 1/80 for both 0 id H antigens. A significant titre for the widal agglutination test in the district was found to be ≥ 1/160 for the O.antigen and ≥ 1/320 for the H — antigen. The distribution of the healthy individual’s agglutinins against the various Salmonellae serotypes and the diagnostic limitations of the Widal test are also presented.
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A thesis submitted to the Department of Clinical Microbiology, School of Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the award Master of Science in Clinical Microbiology, 2002