Port Moresby Medical Laboratories (POMMEDLAB)

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Typhoid fever is very common in our community and if left untreated it is not only life threatening but also very infectious that it can be transmitted easily passed on to another person or family members.

You should have typhoid fever test checked if you have the following:

Abdominal pain

Profuse diarrhea that hasn’t settled for 2 or 3 days.

High Fever

Loss of appetite

Headache for the first time

Nausea and vomiting

Unwell and lethargy for no apparent reason

If you had contact with someone with typhoid fever

Typhoid Fever

 

Typhoid fever is caused by a small bacteria which always enters body via food, water or unwashed hands.

Once in the body, the bacteria quickly multiplies in the gut and causes inflammation of the gut. Some bacteria may escape the gut and gain entrance into blood and invade other organs such as liver, brain and joints . More often the bacteria causes the body’s immune system to mount an inflammatory response with increased chemicals that causes headache , low blood pressure, fever, and septic shock.

Question 1. What is Typhoid Fever?

Question 2. When should I suspect if I have Typhoid Fever?

Question 4. How is the test performed?

Question 6. How long before the results available?

A small blood sample of about 5-10mls is taken. No special preparation is required. No further blood sample is required as this can be also used to test for other basic chemistry tests including kidney, liver, pancreas, diabetes, gout, calcium , cholesterol and cancer blood tests.

The test are very simple and takes only few minutes. It can take 1-2hours depending on laboratory workload. You may return to our Result Review Center or see your doctor on the next appointment day for discussion of results. Patient or doctor will be contacted for urgent results. All reports are kept confidential and only accessed by patient or his/her doctor.  

Question 7. What does the test report mean?

 

The results are reported as positive or negative. Abnormal results are reported as weakly or strongly positive. If abnormal you will be advised and referred appropriately to your doctor or specialist. You can also chose to discuss report or result with our Pathologist /GP if you  prefer for a small extra fee.

 

Question 8. What is the Treatment?

Treatment of typhoid fever is by antibiotics of 2-3 weeks course. In addition, you should also maintain good fluid balance and health eating habits. It is very important to wash your hands before eating and after toilet. This not only helps prevent transmission but also re-infection.  

Question 5. Is there any pitfall to the tests?

Widal test is not specific and can be positive in rheumatoid arthritis, for example. Hence laboratory diagnosis is based in change in titre and importance of repeat test 1-2 weeks apart for confirmation. However, if you have classical symptoms of typhoid fever, you should have antibiotic treatment if tests shows positive. 

Question 3. How is typhoid fever Diagnosed?

Definitive laboratory diagnosis involves culture of bacteria in stool, blood and occasionally in urine. Other simple and common test include blood antibody test called widals test.

Widals test is provided at POMMEDLAB to help doctors diagnose typhoid fever.

Widals test looks for antibody to typhoid fever as a marker of infection. Typhoid fever infection is more likely the higher the level of widals antibody, or greater  the change in typhoid antibody level on repeat testing.