Antibody levels to Salmonella typhi and paratyphi in Nigerians.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the antibody titre levels to typhoid/paratyphoid fever organisms among apparently healthy volunteers.


METHODS
Cross sectional study.


METHODS
General community and University Teaching Hospital.


METHODS
Volunteer sample of 323 apparently healthy individuals with body temperatures < or = 37.8 degrees C.


METHODS
Questionnaire administration to classify volunteers into three socio-economic status (SES).


RESULTS
There were 35.29% of the apparently healthy population in Jos community with antibodies to typhoid/paratyphoid fever organisms. The presence of these antibodies were neither sex nor SES related. Normal antibody titres were up to 1:40 and 1:80 for O and H Salmonella antigens respectively. Contrary to the general belief, typhoid/paratyphoid fevers have not affected virtually everybody in Nigeria. The difference between those without previous history and those with previous history was significant (p < 0.05) with those in the former category having a higher percentage.


CONCLUSIONS
For a single sero-diagnosis to have any diagnostic value in Jos community and its environs, only a four-fold rise to what has been found to be normal should be significant. This means that only titres of 1:160 and 1:320 and above for O and H antigens should be considered significant.
Tanyigna
K B
KB
Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Jos, Nigeria.
Ayeni
J A
JA
Okeke
E N
EN
Onah
J A
JA
Bello
C S
CS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010284:Paratyphoid Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012482:Salmonella paratyphi A / Q000276:immunology*; D012485:Salmonella typhi / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014435:Typhoid Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial