title: Early Diagnosis of Typhoid By PCR For FliC-d Gene of Salmonella Typhi in Patients Taking Antibiotics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) with blood culture, typhi-dot and Widal test for the diagnosis of typhoid in patients taking antibiotics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan, from April 2013 to August 2014.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and five patients were included in the study. Blood was collected and inoculated into tryptone soya broth for culture. Any growth obtained was identified by API 20 E and confirmed by Salmonella anti-sera. Typhi-dot and Widal test were also done on all the samples. DNA extraction was done and PCR was carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 105 patients, 79 (75.2%) were males and 26 (24.8%) were females, with mean age of 20.64 ±14 years. Typhi-dot was positive in 58 (55.2%) and negative in 47 (44.8%) patients. Blood widal test was positive in 27 (25.7%) and negative in 78 (74.3%) patients. Salmonella Typhi was positive on blood culture in only one (1%) patient. PCR for Salmonella Typhi was positive in 102 (97.1%) and negative in 3 (2.9%) patients. Positive cases detected by PCR were significantly higher as compared to Typhi-dot (p < 0.001), blood Widal test (p < 0.001) and blood culture (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positivity rate of PCR was significantly higher as compared to blood culture, Typhi-dot or Widal test for diagnosing typhoid in patients who were already taking antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College, NUST, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Tehmina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Munir
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Military Hospital, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Munir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lodhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College, NUST, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Salman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College, NUST, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Syed Badshah
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Hussain Zaidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College, NUST, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Suhail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Razak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012485:Salmonella typhi / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014435:Typhoid Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007075:Immunoglobulin M