The Widal Test’s propensity for erroneous results is obfuscating India’s typhoid burden, increasing expenses, and risking more antimicrobial resistance.
About Widal Test:
- It is a quick and easy blood test that helps to confirm or rule out typhoid fever.
- It is effective even when the symptoms are mild.
- It analyzes the interaction between these antigens (salmonella bacteria) and antibodies (O and H) in blood samples.
About Typhoid (Enteric Fever):
- It is an infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi.
- Spread through contaminated food or water.
- Symptoms: prolonged high fever, fatigue, headache, nausea, abdominal pain, and constipation or diarrhoea.
- Prevention: Typhoid conjugate vaccine consisting of the purified Vi antigen linked to a carrier protein is used.
Ref: Source
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