Cross sectional study to evaluate rapid diagnostic test (Typhidot-M) as a tool for early diagnosis of Typhoid fever keeping blood culture as gold standard.

Abstract

Introduction: Typhoid fever is highly prevalent in India with hight rate of morbidity and mortality. There is paucity of data from India for its rapid detection by Rapid diagnostic test like Typhidot-M . Thus this study has been taken up to study the use of rapid diagnostic test for typhoid fever keeping blood culture test as gold standard. Materials and Methods : This cross sectional study was carried out in the Department of Pediatrics, Northern Railways Central Hospital, New Delhi. Blood samples of 100 patients with fever of more than 3 days duration were tested by Typhidot-M, Blood culture and S.Widal .S.Widal being done in second week of illness. Other tests for evaluation of other causes of fever were also done.. Results: Sensitivity and Specificity of Typhidot-M was found to be 97.8% and 46.3% .Positive and Negative predictive values for this test were 60.8%and 96.2%.Typhidot-M had better sensitivity and specificity than serum widal test.The association between blood culture positivity and Typhidot-M test was found to be highly significant statistically. Conclusion: We concluded that there was significant association between blood culture positivity and Typhidot -M test in our study thus we can recommend Typhidot -M as the rapid, accurate and reliable tool for the early diagnosis of typhoid fever .