Abstract

Salmonella infection is a common bacteria disease that causes enteric fever in humans. Presently, Widal test, stool, blood and urine cultures are the most diagnostic means of confirming Salmonella infection in humans since they are based on the isolation, identification and demonstration of the presence of antibodies in the serum. However, the stool and serum sample of an infected patient against the (O) and (H) antigens of the bacteria requires thorough laboratory analysis. The aim of this study was to assess the comparison between the Widal test and culturing technique in diagnosis of salmonellosis. Both tests were done in this study in different age and sex group. Samples (blood, urine and feces) were collected from 60 patients suspected to have enteric fever with Widal test results. Among those patients, the Widal test results were positive while the culture results provided mostly no growth, n=37 (92.5%); whereby 3 (7.5%) of cultures provided positive growth of Salmonella. The bacteria isolated were identified by Gram’s reaction and biochemical characteristics including triple sugar iron agar, urease, citrate utilization test, indole and oxidase test. Most patients, 70% (n:32) suspected to have enteric fever were female, however only 30% (n:15) of total cases were males. Also, there were 55% cases in the range of age 20-40 years old and 27% of cases in the range of age 15-20 years old with 18% in the range of age 40-60 years.

Key words: Widal test, culture technique, Salmonella, enteric fever.