Typhoid fever
Infection caused by Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi is still an important medical and public health problem in many developing countries. It is estimated that 21 million cases attract the disease each year and causes more than 0.2 million death. In recent years morbidity and mortality has increased, partly due the emerging and spread of strains that are resistant to the commonly used antibiotics.
Typhoid fever is a waterborne disease that is transmitted through the faecal-oral route and is attracted by the consumption of contaminated water and food stuff. Vaccines for typhoid are available but their use is not widely promoted in endemic countries. Infection may be prevented by the provision of clean water supplies and proper cooking of drinking water and food stuff. The clinical presentation may vary widely from mild illness to a severe clinical picture with life-threatening complications.
Patients should be treated with antibiotics and to make an accurate diagnosis the clinical diagnosis should be confirmed by laboratory testing. Blood culture provides direct evidence of the infection but is not widely available and its sensitivity varies with the duration of illness and is influenced by the use of antibiotics, and the diagnostic value of the classical serological test, the Widal test, is limited.
Approach
KIT Biomedical Research concentrates its activities on the development of simple diagnostic tests for typhoid fever. In addition, KIT Biomedical Research collaborates in research activities to improve the management and prevention of typhoid fever in resource poor communities in endemic areas that have poor access to medical services.
Focal points
- Development, evaluation and application of a point-of-care test for typhoid fever
- Development of recombinant antigens for use in rapid and simple field tests
- Improved management and prevention
- Molecular epidemiology of typhoid fever
Publications
- Gasem, M.H. - Evaluation of a simple and rapid dipstick assay for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in Indonesia.
- Hatta, M. - Simple dipstick assay for the detection of Salmonella typhi-specific IgM antibodies and the evolution of the immune response in patients with typhoid fever.
- Abdoel, T.H. - Laboratory evaluation of a simple and rapid latex agglutination assay for the serodiagnosis of typhoid fever.
- Pastoor, R. - Simple, rapid and affordable point of care test for the serodiagnosis of typhoid fever