Determination of prevalence of Typhoid fever by Widal test in the population of Manyara region, Tanzania

Abstract

Typhoid fever caused by ingestion of contaminated food and water with Salmonella typhi and paratyphi is a major health problem in developing countries. The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of typhoid fever in the patients attending Haydom Lutheran Hospital, Haydom, Manyara region, Tanzania.

Blood samples were collected from 440 patients with symptoms clinically similar to typhoid fever and visiting Haydom Lutheran Hospital from April 2016 to May 2016. Widal slide agglutination test was used for the determination of antibody titer. An antibody titer of >1/80 was taken as a cut of value to indicate infection of typhoid fever. The questionnaire data collected from the participants was used to determine the correlation between typhoid fever and factors such as age and sex.

Out of 440 participants, two hundred and eighty three (64.31%) participants were females and one hundred and fifty seven (35.69%) were males. Among 440 blood samples collected, 119 samples were found to be positive for typhoid fever with an overall prevalence of 27.05%. Individuals of school going and college going age groups (11-20 years) was being more affected (43.33%), whereas others with age group 1-10 years were least affected (6.06%). Out of 119 positive samples, male subjects were more affected (38.85%).

The results of this study indicated that the typhoid fever can occur at any age group but school going and college going age population was more affected. In addition, male patients showed increase risk of getting infection than females.