Serological Study of Typhoid Fever among Patients Attending Nasarawa State University Clinic Keffi, Nigeria

Typhoid fever causes major health problems especially in low- and middle-income individuals. A serological study of typhoid fever was carried out among 150 patients attending Nasarawa State University clinic Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria from April to June 2019. Blood samples were collected for Widal test, blood culture and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. Patients aged between 5 to 60 who reported to the clinic with fever (temperature 37.6 °C to 42 °C) were enlisted for the study. A total of 81 (54.0%) of the study participants were females while 69 (46.0%) were males. Out of the 150 patients, 63(42%) were positive with typhoid fever by Widal test, 51 (34%) by blood culture and 82 (54.6%) by ELISA. The sensitivity and specificity values for Widal test were 84% and 88.2% while Positive Predictive Value (PPV) and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) were 84% and 82.3% compared to (gold standard) ELISA (100%), whereas the sensitivity and specificity values for blood culture was 68.0% and 64.7% while PPV and NPV was 62.1% and 64.7% compared to (gold standard) ELISA (100%). Data were analyzed using Chi-square (χ2) to determine the relationship between the variables used, there was a significant relationship between age and gender of the patients, and also, there was a significant relationship between the patients and their respective occupation by Widal test. Blood culture test revealed significant relationship between age and gender, while on the occupation of the patients, there was no co-relationship. A two-by-two (2 × 2) diagnostic was used to determine sensitivity and specificity, PPV and NPV of the diagnostic techniques used. ELISA technique of diagnosis showed higher accuracy than the other techniques used in the study. The findings of this study showed the need for safe portable water to avoid drinking contaminated water in the affected community.