Application of real-time (RT-PCR) for detection of Salmonella Typhi among febrile patients in Khartoum state

Background: Typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella enteric sero-var Typhi remains a public health threat in many countries particularly those with poor sanitary conditions. Ambulatory health care facilities in endemic settings frequently lack laboratory-based diagnostics, resulting in the majority of diagnosis being made clinically and antimicrobials given empirically so we need more developed and specific methods. To detect the causative agents. The objective of this study was to apply Real-time (RT-PCR) for detection of salmonella Typhi among febrile patients at Khartoum state-Sudan. Methods: Blood samples were taken from 100 suspected typhoid cases, they were subjected to conventional blood culture; widal agglutination test and real-time PCR. Blood culture was performed using standard protocol and real time PCR targeting prg K gene. Result: Out of 100 suspected typhoid cases blood culture were positive in 24 cases. The Real-time assay identified 20cases (83%) as positives among the 24 culture Positive cases. However, the assay additionally detected 20 (26%) of cases as Salmonella infection among culture negative patients. Widal test was positive in 16(66.6%). Cases among culture positive cases. However, the test additionally was positive in 44(57.8%) cases among culture negative cases. Conclusions: Our study conclude that PCR Real-time is a rapid, sensitive, and specific test for the diagnosis of typhoid fever especially during antibiotic treatment and/or cultured one in late stages of disease. of Sybr-Green added of specimen DNA. Pure culture DNA Salmonella typhi as positive and Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumanni, and pneumoniae used as negative controls.