Estimation of Baseline Widal Antibody Titers among Apparently Healthy Urban Population of District Jammu

INTRODUCTION: Definitive diagnosis of Enteric fever is by blood culture for Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi, Paratyphi A, and Paratyphi B which takes long turnaround time and is costly, whereas Widal test is simple, rapid, and cost-effective test whose interpretation depends on the baseline Widal titers among healthy individuals in a defined population. OBJECTIVES: To determine the baseline Widal titers among apparently healthy urban population of district Jammu (J&K). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 302 individuals in the age group of 18–50 years were recruited. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect demographic and clinical details. The Widal testing was done using commercial Salmonella antigen kit. RESULTS: A total of 302 samples were screened by Widal test. 138 samples (45.69%) were reactive for TO antigen and 64 (21.19%) tested reactive for TH antigen, 3 (0.01%) samples showed agglutination for AH antigen and 3 (0.01%) were positive for BH antigen. Majority of seropositive samples were in dilutions of 1:40 for both TO and TH antigens. CONCLUSIONS: Hence, next higher dilutions showing positivity for both TO and TH antigens, i.e., ≥1:80 may be considered diagnostic for enteric fever in the urban population of Jammu district.