Evaluation of a single Widal test in the diagnosis of enteric fever.
The usefulness of a single Widal test was evaluated in an endemic area. This test was done on 62 bacteriologically proven enteric fever cases, 69 non-enteric fever cases and healthy individuals. Using an 0 antibody cut-off of greater than or equal to 1:20, the Widal tube agglutination test yielded a sensitivity of 61% and a specificity of 88%. At a pre-test probability of around 50%, the positive predictive value was 83% and the negative predictive value was 72%. A 4% prevalence of 0 antibodies was noted in the healthy population.
Aquino
R L
RL
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Health, Alabang, Muntinlupa Metro Manila, Philippines.
Lansang
M A
MA
Quimpo
V S
VS
Sombrero
L T
LT
Saniel
M C
MC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000592:standards*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010679:Philippines / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014435:Typhoid Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology