Authors : C. Igbeneghu, M.J. Olisekodiaka and J.A. Onuegbu
Abstract: Two hundred and fifty eight adult patients presenting with fever of typhomalarial symptoms were referred to Biomedics Diagnostic Laboratory, an active medical laboratory in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria, for malaria parasite and Widal agglutination tests. About 161 (62.4%) of the patients had malaria, 43 (16.7%) were positive for Widal test, 130 (50.4%) had malaria only, 12 (4.7%) were positive for Widal test only, 31 (12%) were positive for both malarial parasite and Widal tests and 85 (32.9%) were negative for both tests. Blood cultures carried out on the samples showed that only 2 (0.8%) of the 258 patients were positive for Salmonella typhi, the causative organism of typhoid fever. Similar tests were performed on blood samples collected from 100 apparently healthy individuals as controls. The 18 (18%) of the control subjects had malarial infection, 11 (11%) were positive for Widal test, 13 (13%) had malarial infection only, 6 (6%) were positive for Widal test only, 5 (5%) were positive for both malarial parasite and Widal test, 76 (76%) were negative for both malarial and Widal tests and none was positive for growth of S. typhi. This study shown that malaria was significantly associated with fever (χ2 = 56.84; p<0.0001) but typhoid fever was not significantly associated with fever (p = 0.52). Co-infection with malaria and typhoid fever was not significant (p = 0.14). Although, malaria was significantly associated with fever, >1/3 (37.6%) of the febrile patients had no malaria. Typhoid fever was over-diagnosed by Widal test (16.7%) compared to the result of blood culture (0.8%).
C. Igbeneghu, M.J. Olisekodiaka and J.A. Onuegbu, 2009. Malaria and Typhoid Fever among Adult Patients Presenting with Fever in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria. International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 4: 112-115.