Widal Test

The Widal test is one method that may be used to help make a presumptive diagnosis of enteric fever, also known as typhoid fever. Strong immunity is key to living a happy life. The immune system protects our body from external sources which can harm our body, such as bacteria, etc. However, when an individual happens to consume contaminated food, it can have varying adverse effects on the body, including ingestion of bacteria like Typhoid and Paratyphoid. An individual can also get infected by Typhoid by using a toilet that was contaminated with bacteria and touching body parts without washing hands, contaminated milk products, unhygienic street food and carrier cases those asymptomatic. Typhoid fever or Typhoid is caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria. Typhoid occurs 8 to 48 hours after the bacterial infection and remains 2 to five days. A patient with Typhoid carries the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract. It’s an acute, life-threatening and fever-causing illness. Typhoid fever is often confirmed through blood testing. Widal test (or Typhi dot test) is a rapid serological test for the diagnosis of Typhoid. The Widal test is performed through the slide method. When the typhoid bacilli are mixed with the blood sample containing typhoid antibodies from a patient with Typhoid, agglutination occurs. This means the presence of typhoid bacteria. Physicians may recommend the Widal test when they suspect Typhoid. This test can quickly diagnose if a patient is affected by enteric or Typhoid fever. If a patient has the symptoms of fever with chill, fatigue, headache, abdominal pain, constipation, weight loss and rash spots the doctor may recommend a Widal test to the person.