How do I know if I have typhoid?
Don’t wait or guess, get tested.
A quick typhoid diagnosis can help prevent serious complications and hospitalisation. If you see any early symptoms, like high-grade fever, weakness, stomach pain, diarrhoea or constipation, contact your doctor immediately.[1] If you have a persistent fever lasting more than three days, especially after travelling to or living in an area with a high number of typhoid cases, seek medical attention without delay.[2]
Blood tests provide the most reliable confirmation of typhoid fever. Stool and urine tests are usually not recommended due to low reliability.[2]
Types of tests for typhoid
Physical examinations for typhoid are done in the initial stages when your doctor suspects that you have enteric fever. In these stages, patients may look pale, lethargic and dehydrated. Rashes or spots might appear on the skin, especially over your chest and abdomen (which may be difficult to see on darker skin tones). Based on your symptoms, your doctor will suggest getting tested for typhoid.[2]
Typhoid lab tests can routinely be done with samples of blood, and rarely with urine, faeces and bone marrow.[3]
Blood Culture
Blood culture is the most preferred, reliable and common method for testing typhoid, but it has its own limitations.[2] It has a 90% detection rate in the first week, and confirming a negative result can take up to five days of observation in a microbiology laboratory.[4]
Bone Marrow Culture
A bone marrow culture is among the preferred tests for investigating a fever that persists for weeks without any apparent cause. This test can be used for typhoid detection during the later stages of illness as well, since it can detect bacteria even after antibiotic therapy.[4] However, this test is not commonly used since it is invasive and might not be feasible in all settings.[5] In case a bone marrow test is performed to investigate a fever of unknown origin, samples must be sent for cultures to rule out typhoid.
Stool Culture
Stool culture is not reliable for diagnosing typhoid since it can show positive results for patients who are recovering. However, it helps determine if someone is a chronic carrier. Urine culture is not a standard method for testing typhoid.[2]
Widal Test
In India, the Widal test is widely used for the detection of typhoid fever.[2] It detects the presence of antibodies against the typhoid bacteria and is tested in the second week of illness. However, the Widal test has low sensitivity and specificity, meaning it can sometimes produce false positives in diseases like malaria or infections caused by other bacteria.[4]
Resources
Disclaimer: A public awareness initiative by Bharat Biotech International Limited. This information is for general awareness only and does not constitute medical advice. The doctors, medical facilities and graphics shown are for illustrative purposes only. For any medical advice or any question or concern you may have regarding your condition, consult your doctor.