Ultrasonographic study for evaluation of changes in intra-abdominal structures in enteric fever diagnosed by the conventional microbiological methods utilizing a new rapid [MUCAP] test

ABSTRACT

Out of 78 patients clinically suspected to suffer from enteric fever, 40 cases have been proved to be real cases by microbiological methods. The study included also 20 control cases having fevers due to causes other than salmonella infection. Ultrasonography for abdominal structures have been done to the 40 as well as the control group. The sonogram could reveal, in the enteric cases, a significant increase in splenic size, subcostal extension of the liver in the mid clavicular line, portal vein diameter and in renal parenchymal thickness. As regard microbiological study I] blood culture was positive in 5 cases and all isolates were S. typhi. II] Stool culture was positive in 17 cases including 8 strains of S. typhi, 6 strains of S. paratyphi A and 3 strains of S. paratyphi B. III] widal test was positive in 18 cases that were culture negative. In this work, MUCAP test found to be rapid and reliable test if combined with slide agglutination using salmonella antisera. The test was clearly positive in the 22 culture positive cases. The test was also clearly negative when applied to colonies of yersinia enterocolitica isolated from the blood of 2 cases of the studied patients