ISSN 2736-1756
Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research ISSN 2241-9837 Vol. 13 (4), pp. 001-005, April, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Prevalence of typhoid fever in referral hospitals in Umuahia and Aba, Abia State, Nigeria
Elendu C. Onwuchekwa1*, Uzochukwu G. Ekeleme2, Oliver Onu-Osi3, Okonudo, I. Diana4
1,3Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological and Physical Sciences, Abia State University, Uturu, P.M.B 2000, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria
2Department of Microbiology, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Gregory University, Uturu, P.M.B 1012, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria
4Department of Microbiology, Edo University Iyamho
Accepted 15 April, 2019
Abstract
The prevalence of typhoid fever in referral hospitals in Umuahia and Aba, Abia State, Nigeria was studied using standard microbiological techniques. A total of 500 subjects within the age range of 1-70 years were enrolled. A total of 229 subjects were infected with a prevalence rate of 45.8%. The males had the highest prevalence rate of 50.9%, while females had a prevalence rate of 41.9%. In Aba, 125 (50.0%) subjects were positive, while 104 (41.6%) were recorded in Umuahia. The age group of 21-30 years had the highest rate of 63.3%. Traders were most affected (62.5%). The stool cultures from males had the highest prevalence of 24.8% in ABSUTH, Aba while females had the lowest of 16.0% in FMC, Umuahia. Hence, health care personnel should not totally depend on widal test alone for the diagnosis of enteric fever but should use other diagnostic methods to differentiate Salmonella infection from other related infections.
Key words: Widal test, stool culture, typhoid fever, Salmonella typhi and prevalence.