Combined Rapid (TUBEX) Test for Typhoid-Paratyphoid A Fever Based on Strong Anti-O12 Response: Design and Critical Assessment of Sensitivity
2011

Combined Rapid Test for Typhoid and Paratyphoid A Fever

Sample size: 58 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Yan Meiying, Tam Frankie C. H., Kan Biao, Lim Pak Leong

Primary Institution: State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Hypothesis

Can a combined rapid test effectively detect both typhoid and paratyphoid A fever using monoclonal antibodies?

Conclusion

The combined TUBEX test demonstrated higher sensitivity for detecting typhoid and paratyphoid A fever compared to traditional methods.

Supporting Evidence

  • The combined TUBEX test showed 100% sensitivity for typhoid in early disease stages.
  • TUBEX 12T detected more cases than traditional methods.
  • High concordance was observed between TUBEX and ELISA results.
  • Significant differences in sensitivity were noted between typhoid and paratyphoid tests.
  • Specimen quality significantly affected test sensitivity.

Takeaway

This study created a new test that can quickly tell if someone has typhoid or paratyphoid A fever, which are similar diseases.

Methodology

The study used monoclonal antibodies in a colorimetric immunoassay to detect specific antibodies in patient sera.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to the reliance on culture-confirmed cases for sensitivity assessment.

Limitations

The study's findings may be limited by the quality of stored serum samples and the specificity of the tests.

Participant Demographics

Typhoid patients aged 7 to 19 years and paratyphoid A patients aged 15 to 64 years.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.001

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0024743

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