Seroprevalence of Salmonella Paratyphi in Haryana – four year study at a tertiary health care center

Abstract

Enteric fever is a common cause of febrile illness in developing countries including India. The principal causative agent is Salmonella Typhi. In the Indian subcontinent, Salmonella Paratyphi A is also prevalent and the incidence of paratyphoid fever is reported to be increasing. The diagnosis of typhoid and paratyphoid fever is best made by isolating the bacteria from blood or stool specimens. The rising titer of antibodies against Salmonella antigens also helps in the diagnosis, especially where culture facilities are deficient. The present study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of S. Paratyphi A in a tertiary care hospital in northern India. A rising trend of antibody titers was observed over a period of four years.