title: Comparison of a rapid commercial test, Enterocheck WB(®), with automated blood culture for diagnosis of typhoid fever.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rapid diagnosis of typhoid fever is very important in the timely initiation of therapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the Enterocheck WB(®) test.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective study, the sensitivity and specificity of Enterocheck WB(®) that detects IgM antibodies to Salmonella typhi were compared with blood culture using BacT/Alert.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four hundred and fifty patients with suspected typhoid fever were assessed both by blood culture and Enterocheck WB(®); 100 of them were either Enterocheck WB(®)-positive or blood culture-positive or both for S. typhi. Both tests were positive in 47 of the 100 patients. In 45 patients, Enterocheck WB(®) was positive but blood culture was negative. In eight cases, Enterocheck was negative but blood culture was positive. Using blood culture as the gold standard, the sensitivity of Enterocheck WB(®) was 85.5%, specificity 88.6%, negative predictive value 97.7% and positive predictive value 51.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Enterocheck WB(®) test can be performed at the bedside in 15 minutes and is a useful rapid method for diagnosis of typhoid fever.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital, The CHILDS Trust Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anusha
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ganesh
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lalitha
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001331:Automation / Q000379:methods; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012485:Salmonella typhi / Q000276:immunology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014435:Typhoid Fever / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007075:Immunoglobulin M