Typhoid, Malaria Rarely Co-exist In Patients, Often Mis-diagnosed -Experts
Thompson Nsisongabasi
Dec 22, 2021
Health experts has revealed that typhoid and malaria infections are often wrongly diagnosed by some laboratories in Nigeria.
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The experts said the fact that it is now not uncommon to hear that people are diagnosed of having both typhoid and malaria is an indication that such diagnosis could be wrong.
They noted that it is wrong to diagnose malaria and typhoid through a single Widal test.
According to them, malaria and typhoid are caused by two different entities and rarely co-infect people.
They said that while it is possible to be infected with both malaria and typhoid at the same time, Nigerians must know that it is a very rare occurrence.
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The experts urged laboratories scientists to be more painstaking with their diagnosis, describing random test results confirming malaria and typhoid in one person as being uncritical.
According to them, the Widal test that is usually used in testing for typhoid is outdated and does not give an accurate result.
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They stressed that to appropriately test for typhoid, a culture of the urine, blood, and stool is most appropriate.
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According to the World Health Organisation, typhoid fever is a life-threatening infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. It is usually spread through contaminated food or water.
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The global health agency noted that symptoms of typhoid include prolonged fever, fatigue, headache, nausea, abdominal pain, and constipation or diarrhoea.
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Malaria, WHO also noted, is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
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Speaking with PUNCH HealthWise in an interview, Ibeh Isaiah, a professor of Microbiology and Medical Laboratory Science in the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Benin, said that malaria and typhoid are caused by two separate entities, stressing that there is no one single test that can detect the two at the same time.
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"The fact is that malaria is caused by one entity while typhoid is caused by another entity. Therefore, no one test could detect the two organisms.
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"We have separate tests to identify typhoid and separate tests to identify malaria. Therefore, if anybody runs one single test and brings the result that you have malaria and typhoid, you should ask the person for clarification.
"For malaria, you look for it in the blood to be sure. Also, after you run the test for typhoid, you have to interpret it very well because those who have had immunisation will have antibodies to the salmonella in the system so when you run a test and you find it positive, it doesn't mean that the person has typhoid,ÔÇØ he explained.
He recommended a serological test in testing for typhoid, noting that it is a faster way of testing for the condition.
Ibeh further lamented the lack of painstaking attention to details by some laboratories and test centres, noting that it is a major reason for poor interpretation of medical diagnosis.
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He added that the absence of certified health professionals in handling diagnostics is also a major challenge that should be addressed.
Also speaking with PUNCH HealthWise, a public health physician, Dr. Tunji Akintade said it must be stressed that mosquitoes do not cause typhoid, adding that the likelihood of malaria and typhoid occurring in one person at the same time is quite low.
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"Typhoid is caused by a bacteria, malaria is caused by protozoa following a mosquito bite. It is not that when a mosquito bites you it also gives you the bacteria that causes typhoid so the likelihood of the two of them coming together is very low.
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"So, when people say typhoid and malaria, they are not being critical about their diagnosis. While it is not impossible to have typhoid and malaria at the same time, it must be noted that the likelihood is very slim,ÔÇØ Akintade said.
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He opined that patients should rather request for culture test to appropriately diagnose and ascertain the health issue they are dealing with.
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Also speaking with our correspondent, Obinna Chukwudi, a medical laboratory scientist noted that the symptoms of malaria and typhoid sometimes mimic each other, adding that it is the reason many people screen for both infections at the same time.
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He, however, also suggested that instead of people going for a Widal test, people should rather perform blood culture or full culture.
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— Thompson Nsisongabasi