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Time of India
06-08-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Typhoid cases rise 65%; docs flag diagnostic test dilemma
Pune: Typhoid cases have risen 65% to 112 in the first half of this year as compared to 68 in the same period in 2024, PMC data showed, with experts highlighting an increase in patients with prolonged illness periods, largely attributed to incorrect diagnostic test prescribed by some medical practitioners. Dr Ameet Dravid, infectious disease specialist from Noble and Poona hospitals, said, "The ideal test for typhoid in the first week is a blood culture, but many practitioners are relying on Widal, an antibody-based extremely non-specific test." Experts said the Widal test could yield false positives for any fever. "Despite its unreliability, Widal remains the most commonly prescribed diagnostic tool for typhoid in the first week of illness. The situation is further complicated by random antibiotic prescriptions even before proper diagnosis," Dr Dravid said, recommending junking Widal altogether. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune "Blood culture is the gold standard test. It will come positive in 50-80% of cases if done prior to giving antibiotics as its sensitivity goes down drastically once the antibiotic is given," he said. The use of incorrect diagnostic test leads to uncertainty in diagnosis, resulting in physicians prescribing unnecessary stronger antibiotics. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo "When the non-specific test results are inconclusive, practitioners often treat for upper respiratory tract infections. The fever in such cases lasts for around 20 days, after which patients land up with infectious disease consultants," Dr Dravid said. Dr Piyush Chaudhary, infectious disease specialist at Jehangir Hospital, said, "During monsoon, we see a significant number of typhoid cases. Yet, this infection often gets missed in the first 5–7 days because of empirical treatment without proper diagnostics like blood cultures." He said, "Typhoid typically doesn't cause a rise in white blood cells, so unless there's strong clinical suspicion, it can be overlooked... Blood culture is underused because its results take time, making doctors to rely on Widal test, which is highly unreliable." Dr Awanti Golwilkar-Mehendale, director and chief of laboratory at Pune-based AG Diagnostics, said the choice of typhoid test depended on the stage of illness and prior antibiotic use. "Widal tests aren't ideal for early diagnosis. However, if antibiotics have been taken, blood culture results may be unreliable. So, Widal tests might be used later for confirmation. Typhi IgM tests can occasionally yield false positives, making follow-up testing with Widal or blood culture necessary. Additionally, PCR-based tests can be used for early diagnosis," she said. The experts said Widal could be falsely negative in half of true typhoid cases, and falsely positive in half of those who don't have the disease. "In many referred cases, we found that the illness had already progressed as the initial testing was flawed or the patient was put on antibiotics before any diagnostic workup," Dr Chaudhary said. Dr Mahesh Kumar Lakhe, infectious disease expert at Sahyadri Hospitals, said, "Typhoid is a bacterial infection transmitted through contaminated food and water, typically via the fecal-oral route. Eating raw salads, improperly stored food or undercooked milk products can all lead to infection." Blood culture requires an adequate blood sample (ideally 8-10ml) and the organism may take 4-7 days to grow. "We're seeing a number of referrals with prolonged undiagnosed fever. These are often typhoid cases where diagnosis was delayed because the initial physician didn't suspect it or used unreliable tests," Dr Lakhe said, adding, "This season, we are seeing a higher number of 'Salmonella paratyphi A' cases in our lab-confirmed cultures, which tend to have a more prolonged fever course compared to the classic 'S typhi' strain. " Dr Nikhil Phadke, founder-director and chief science officer at GenePath Diagnostics, said while Widal was commonly requested, it was often done using the slide method, which was less reliable than the preferred tube method. "We get very few culture requests," he said, adding that cultures take time while antibody tests (like Widal) give faster results, which influences clinical decisions.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Suspected fever outbreak in Yamunanagar's Tejli Village; 78 cases reported in 2 days
Yamunanagar: Tejli village under Yamunanagar-Jagadhri municipal corporation has reported 78 cases of suspected fever in the last two days, sparking concern among the residents. Two individuals have been admitted to a private hospital in Yamunanagar for treatment. According to initial reports, the outbreak is believed to be linked to the consumption of contaminated water and poor sanitation conditions. Several affected residents have been experiencing symptoms such as high fever, headaches, and stomach pain for nearly a week. Upon receiving information about the suspected outbreak, Yamunanagar district health and family welfare department deployed a rapid response team (RRT) to the village on Tuesday and since then they have surveyed 380 households and identified 26 male and 52 female patients with symptoms of suspected fever. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The sudden spike in cases has created a sense of panic in the village. "People are suffering from fever and symptoms resembling typhoid. The govt must take immediate action to control the disease," said a local. The RRT collected 40 blood samples each for testing Hepatitis A, B, C, and E, the Widal test (for typhoid), and for leptospirosis and scrub typhus. All samples have been sent to the laboratory for bacteriological analysis. Preliminary investigations revealed leakage in the water supply pipeline at two locations. Eleven water samples collected Tuesday from different households were found unfit for consumption. Another 11 samples were collected Wednesday and sent for further testing. Dr Vagish Gutain, district surveillance officer, and Dr Dinesh Sharma, district epidemiologist, confirmed that medical and paramedical teams had been conducting house-to-house surveys, offering symptomatic treatment to all patients. ORS packets and chlorine/halogen tablets have been distributed to prevent further spread of the disease. "Residents have been advised to boil drinking water, maintain hygiene, and wash hands before meals," said Dr Gutain. A first-aid post has also been set up in the village to provide immediate medical assistance, he added. "The situation is under control. We are maintaining continuous surveillance," said Dr Poonam Chaudhary, civil surgeon, Yamunanagar.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Suspected fever outbreak in Tejli village; 78 cases reported in two days
TOI photo YAMUNANAGAR: Tejli village, located under the jurisdiction of the Yamunanagar-Jagadhri Municipal Corporation, has reported 78 cases of suspected fever in the past two days, sparking concern among residents. Two individuals have been admitted to a private hospital in Yamunanagar for treatment. According to initial reports, the outbreak is believed to be linked to the consumption of contaminated water and poor sanitation conditions. Several affected residents have been experiencing symptoms such as high fever, headaches, and stomach pain for nearly a week. Upon receiving information about the suspected outbreak, the Yamunanagar district Health and Family Welfare Department deployed a Rapid Response Team (RRT) to the village on April 29. Over the past two days, the team has surveyed 380 households and identified 26 male and 52 female patients with symptoms of suspected fever. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The sudden spike in cases has created a sense of panic in the village. 'People are suffering from fever and symptoms resembling typhoid. The government must take immediate action to control the disease,' said a local resident. The RRT collected 40 blood samples each for testing Hepatitis A, B, C, and E, the Widal test (for typhoid), and for leptospirosis and scrub typhus. All samples have been sent to the laboratory for bacteriological analysis. Preliminary investigations also revealed leakage in the water supply pipeline at two locations. Eleven water samples collected yesterday from different households were found unfit for consumption. Another 11 samples were collected today and sent for further testing. Dr. Vagish Gutain, District Surveillance Officer, and Dr. Dinesh Sharma, District Epidemiologist, confirmed that medical and paramedical teams have been conducting house-to-house surveys, offering symptomatic treatment to all patients. ORS packets and chlorine/halogen tablets have been distributed to prevent further spread of disease. 'Residents have been advised to boil drinking water, maintain hygiene, and wash hands before meals,' said Dr Gutain. A first-aid post has also been set up in the village to provide immediate medical assistance. 'The situation is under control and remains under continuous surveillance,' assured Dr. Poonam Chaudhary, Civil Surgeon, Yamunanagar.
