Typhoid Tests Information: Price, Symptoms & Causes

In most developing countries, typhoid fever is one of the most important health concerns. The estimated incidence of typhoid fever is around 540 per 100000 population.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the annual burden of typhoid fever around the globe is approximately 11-20 million resulting in around 1,28,000 - 1,61,000 deaths per year. With such rapidly increasing cases of typhoid across the globe, it is important that you know about typhoid fever, its symptoms, the test used for typhoid detection, and its cost. So make sure you read through this article completely to know all about typhoid, its diagnosis and treatment.

What are the symptoms of typhoid?

The incubation period of typhoid fever is around 7-14 days, that is, it takes 7 to 14 days for the symptoms of Salmonella typhi infection to appear in your body. The group of people who do not have access to safe water and sanitation is more prone to developing typhoid fever. The most common typhoid symptoms are:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• High-grade fever
• Weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Constipation
• Swollen abdomen
• Skin rashes 

Typhoid is a leading health problem around the world. The causative agent of typhoid fever is the bacterium Salmonella typhi. The bacterium is generally spread through contaminated water and food. Typhoid fever is a leading cause of morbidity in the urban and peri-urban populations. The early diagnosis of typhoid fever can make its treatment possible thereby reducing its mortality rate. Read this article to know about the typhoid diagnosis test.

What are the causes of typhoid fever?

The main causative agent of typhoid fever is Salmonella typhi. In most of the cases, patients get infected with the bacteria when they are travelling and further spread it through faecal-oral route. The most common ways by which you can get infected with the bacterium include:

• The bacterium can be passed by an infected person through their urine or faeces.
• You can get infected by consuming food handled by a typhoid infected individual.
• If an infected individual hasn’t washed the toilet properly after using, then that can also facilitate the spread of the bacterium.
• Drinking water contaminated with the bacteria can also infect you.

It is not necessary that typhoid is spread through people who show symptoms of infection only. Many times, people who have undergone antibiotics treatment for typhoid, may still continue to spread infection. Such individuals are known as the chronic carriers of typhoid as they no longer show symptoms of typhoid fever but are still able to spread the bacteria to other people.

Which test is done for typhoid detection?

The diagnostic tests used for typhoid detection are:

IgM test

In this method, the IgM antibodies specific to the bacterium Salmonella typhi are detected. It is used for detecting the markers at an early stage. The test can detect typhoid fever around 2-3 days after the onset of the symptoms.

Blood culture

It is the gold standard method for the diagnosis of typhoid fever. This method requires the isolation and identification of the bacteria from your sample for testing. The blood culture test gives the best results if it is performed within one week of the onset of the symptoms. Better results are obtained through multiple blood cultures using larger sample volumes.

Real-time PCR

Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a molecular test that is used for the diagnosis of typhoid fever. The test is generally conducted within the first 5 days of the onset of symptoms.

Widal test

The most common test that you might have heard for typhoid is the Widal test. But unfortunately, this test is not used for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in the laboratory. This is because the Widal test developed in the 1800s can give inaccurate results due to cross-reactivity with other infectious agents. It is the most common rapid serological test for the diagnosis of typhoid fever. It works on the principle of biochemical agglutination. It detects the presence of O and H serum agglutinins in the serum collected from your blood sample. Widal test can be performed using two different methods, that is, the slide method and the tube method. 

What is the typhoid test price?

The typhoid test price can vary depending upon the place where you are getting your test done and the diagnostic lab as well. At Redcliffe Labs, the cost of a typhoid fever test is approximately Rs 400/-. 

Typhoid Test Price in Different Cities - Redcliffe Labs

City Name	Discounted Price
Delhi	₹400
Ahmedabad	₹400
Mumbai	₹400
Bangalore	₹400
Noida	₹400
Pune	₹400
Lucknow	₹400
Hyderabad	₹400
Chennai	₹400
Gurgaon	₹400
Jaipur	₹400
Faridabad	₹400
Indore	₹400
Patna	₹400

Takeaway 

Typhoid fever is a very common disease in India. The early detection of typhoid not only aids in its treatment but also helps in controlling the spread of the infection. Typhoid is generally a foodborne disease, that is, it spreads through contaminated food and water. Now that you know the symptoms and diagnosis of typhoid fever, make sure that you get yourself tested immediately if you observe these symptoms in yourself. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Can CBC test detect typhoid?

CBC or complete blood count tests done during typhoid will only show an increase in the number of white blood cells (WBCs). A more specific test is required for the confirmatory diagnosis of typhoid fever. These tests include widal test, IgM test, blood culture, and real-time PCR.

• Which test is done for diagnosis of typhoid in the first week?

Real time polymerase chain reaction, that is, real time PCR is used for the diagnosis of typhoid within the first 5 days of appearance of symptoms.

• What is the normal range for typhoid test?

The normal range for typhoid test name widal test is less than 1:20, 1:40, 1:80, or 1:160.