Question

Widal test is performed as a diagnostic test in:
a. Tuberculosis
b. Typhoid
c. Cholera
d. Tetanus

Answer 1

Hint: Diagnosis of any disease is usually done by performing certain tests on the patient with symptoms. Widal test is one such diagnostic test. It is an agglutination test in which the antigen-antibody reaction is studied. If the agglutination occurs then it gives positive results.

Complete answer:
- Antibodies are made in our body in response to any pathogen that might have entered the body. These antibodies act as the body's defense mechanism. Antigens trigger immune response inside our body whenever they enter the body. When certain antibodies and antigens are mixed together, clumping or agglutination takes place. Widal test makes use of this to diagnose the disease.
- Typhoid is caused due to bacteria known as Salmonella typhi. It mainly spreads by the consumption of contaminated food and water. The best prevention of the disease is vaccination at an early stage.
- Mantoux tuberculin skin test is used to diagnose tuberculosis. To diagnose cholera the stool test is done.
- For tetanus, a physical test is done. The doctor diagnoses the test on the basis of physical examination.
- Widal test is the test which is used to diagnose typhoid; therefore, the correct answer to the question is typhoid.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: Here it must be noted that the symptoms of typhoid include fever, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain and headache. Further, Widal test is not used because it gives false positive results at times. It is also very time consuming and might even give false negative results in the early stages of the disease. Other tests are Typhidot and Tubex Test.