The diagnostic value of the Widal test was assessed in an endemic area. The test was done on 300 normal individuals, 297 non-typhoidal fevers and 275 bacteriologically proven cases of typhoid. Of 300 normal individuals, 2% had an H agglutinin titre of 1/160 and 5% had an O agglutinin titre of 1/160. On the basis of these criteria a significant H and/or O agglutinin titre of 1/320 or more was observed in 93-97% of typhoid cases and in only 3% of patients with non-typhoidal fever. Of the sera from typhoid cases which gave a significant Widal reaction, the majority (79.9%) showed increases in both H and O agglutinins and 51 of 234 (21.8%) of these sera were collected in the first week of illness. The significance and implications of these findings are discussed.
Typhoid fever is a disease caused by Salmonella Typhi that was implicated in millions of illnesses worldwide annually. Individuals that do not recover fully from typhoid fever can become asymptomatic carriers of the disease. Host antibodies against the S. Typhi antigens, HlyE (for acute typhoid) and YncE (for carriers) were previously reported to be useful biomarkers for the disease. Here, we expressed and purified recombinant HlyE and YncE antigens and tested the IgG, IgA and IgM responses in 422 sera samples retrieved from acute typhoid patients, other febrile, food handlers, and healthy individuals. The results showed that HlyE-IgG, -IgA and -IgM ELISAs have a collective sensitivity of 83% while YncE-IgG and -IgA ELISAs identified 16 possible carriers based on their antibody profiles. The identification of sensitive biomarkers for typhoid carrier detection is crucial for disease eradication.
A simple adherence test to detect IgM antibodies in patients with typhoid is described. The test utilises the IgM-"capture" approach, in which the test serum is applied to microtitration plate wells previously coated with anti-human IgM, followed by application of a stained Salmonella typhi antigen suspension which shows adherence in positive cases. By this test, 58 (95%) of 61 sera from confirmed cases of typhoid possessed IgM antibodies to the H or O or both antigens of S. typhi. In patients for whom a diagnosis of typhoid was based only on a significant Widal-test titre, 31 (41%) of 76 sera had IgM antibodies to the H or O or both antigens of S. typhi. Some cross-reactivity of the IgM antibodies was detected, especially with the O antigens of S. paratyphi A and B. A total of 82 sera from non-typhoidal fevers (leptospirosis, typhus, dengue fever) showed no reactivity in this test. In normal sera there was no detectable IgM to the O antigen of S. typhi and only a small number (3.9%) had low levels of IgM to the H antigen. The significance and potential importance of this simple, sensitive, specific and economical test is discussed.
In our earlier study, an immunoblot analysis using sera from febrile patients revealed that a 50-kDa band from an outer membrane protein fraction of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi was specifically recognized only by typhoid sera and not sera from other febrile illnesses. Here, we investigated the identities of the proteins contained in the immunogenic 50-kDa band to pinpoint antigens responsible for its immunogenicity. We first used LC-MS/MS for protein identification, then used the online tool ANTIGENpro for antigenicity prediction and produced recombinant proteins of the lead antigens for validation in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found that proteins TolC, GlpK and SucB were specific to typhoid sera but react to antibodies differently under native and denatured conditions. This difference suggests the presence of linear and conformational epitopes on these proteins.
Polyclonal sera from typhoid patients and a monoclonal antibody, mAb ATVi, which recognizes the capsular polysaccharide Vi antigen (ViCPS), were used to select for peptides that mimic the ViCPS by using a phage-displayed random 12-mer peptide library. Two major common mimotopes selected from the library carried the amino acid sequences TSHHDSHGLHRV and ENHSPVNIAHKL. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) showed that these peptides carry mimotopes to ViCPS. Phage clones that contained the 12-mer peptides were also tested against pooled/individual typhoid patients' sera and found to have 3 to 5 times higher binding compared to normal sera. By using Phage-ELISA assays, the derived synthetic peptides, TSHHDSHGLHRV and ENHSPVNIAHKL, were tested against a monoclonal antibody mAb ATVi and over 2-fold difference in binding was found between these peptides and a control unrelated peptide, CTLTTKLYC. Inhibition of the mAb's binding to ViCPS indicated that the synthetic peptides successfully competed with the capsular polysaccharide for antibody binding.
Data are presented for 2382 children investigated for fever in a Malaysian hospital between 1984 and 1987 when Widal tests and blood cultures were a routine part of every fever screen. There were 145 children who were culture positive (TYP-CP) for Salmonella typhi, while 166 were culture negative but were diagnosed as having typhoid (TYP-CN). Analyses of the sensitivity and specificity of combinations of initial Widal titres in predicting a positive S. typhi culture in a febrile child (culture positive vs the rest) showed the best model to be an O- and/or H-titre of > or = 1 in 40 (sensitivity 89%; specificity 89%). While the negative predictive value of the model was high (99.2%) the positive predictive value remained below 50% even for very high titres of O and H (> 1 in 640), at which point the specificity was 98.5%, supporting the clinical view that a high proportion of the TYP-CN patients really were typhoid but were missed by culture. The TYP-CN patients showed a very similar clinical and age profile to TYP-CP patients. The length of history of fever did not affect the initial Widal titre in culture positive cases. The Widal test in children remains a sensitive and specific 'fever screen' for typhoid although it will not identify all cases. In children, lower cut-off points for O- and H-titres should be used than are generally recommended.
The heat shock protein (HSP) response of Salmonella typhi following exposure to elevated growth temperatures was studied. Three major proteins with molecular sizes of 58, 68, and 88 kDa were abundantly expressed when S. typhi cells were shifted from 37 to 45 degrees C and to 55 degrees C. These proteins were also constitutively expressed at 37 degrees C. Western blotting and immunoprecipitation studies with anti-HSP monoclonal antibodies revealed that the 58- and 68-kDa proteins were analogous to the GroEL and DnaK proteins, respectively, of Escherichia coli. These HSPs are also abundantly present in the outer membrane fraction of disrupted cells and, to a lesser extent, in the cytosol. Immunoblotting experiments with sera from patients with a culture-positive diagnosis of typhoid fever showed the presence of antibodies to these HSPs. Nine of twelve sera reacted with the 58-, 68-, and 88-kDa proteins, while three sera reacted only with the 68- and 88-kDa proteins. All 10 sera from healthy individuals showed no binding to these HSPs. In light of the well-documented roles of HSPs in the pathogenesis of microbial infections and as immunodominant antigens, these findings may be relevant for a better understanding of disease processes and for the future development of diagnostic and preventive strategies.
Typhoid fever is a major health problem with frequent outbreaks in Kelantan, Malaysia. Prevalence of TLR4 gene polymorphisms varies with ethnic groups (0-20%) and predisposean individual to gram-negative infections. The prevalence rate of TLR4 Asp299Gly and Thr399lle polymorphisms in the Malay population or the influence of these on typhoid fever susceptibility is not yet reported. 250 normal and 304 susceptible Malay individuals were investigated for these polymorphisms using allele-specific PCR and analysed for its association with typhoid fever susceptibility. The total prevalence of polymorphisms in the normal population was 4.8% in comparison to 12.5% in the susceptible population (p = 0.002). An increased frequency of both polymorphisms was observed in the susceptible population (p typhoid, infection. The higher incidence of typhoid fever in Kelantan could be attributed to the higher percentage of Malays (95%) in this state. In order to reduce the incidence of this disease, people with these polymorphisms, can be prioritised for prophylactic strategies.
A series of 122, 9-mer overlapping peptides based on the sequence of the Salmonella typhi GroEL gene was synthesized on the surfaces of polyethylene pins and screened with monoclonal antibody to GroEL and with human sera from patients with typhoid fever and normal healthy blood donors. Three immunogenic epitopes corresponding to peptides EGQDRGYSY, YSYNKETGE and GKGTEEKEK were identified upon screening with the human sera. In addition, screening of the peptides with a monoclonal antibody to GroEL detected binding to a third peptide, KGGKGTEEK, which contains a common overlapping sequence to peptide GKGTEEKEK. Identification and definition of these epitopes will be important in delineating the biological and immunological functions of this protein and in designing better diagnostic tests and vaccines.
An indirect ELISA was used to detect antibodies against outer membrane protein preparations (OMPs) from Salmonella typhi. Sera from patients with a definitive diagnosis of typhoid fever (TF) gave a mean absorbance reading, at 414 nm, of 1.52 +/- 0.23 as compared to 0.30 +/- 0.11 for sera from healthy individuals. This gave a positive to negative ratio of absorbance readings of approximately 5.1. Suspected TF patients (no isolation of S. typhi), with positive and negative Widal titers had mean absorbance readings of 1.282 +/00.46 and 0.25 +/- 0.19, respectively. Sera from patients with leptospirosis, rickettsial typhus, dengue fever, and other infections gave mean absorbances of 0.20 +/- 0.08, 0.24 +/- 0.08, 0.27 +/- 0.08, and 0.31 +/- 0.16, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 100%, 94%, 80% and 100%, respectively. The antibody response detected in the definitive TF cases was predominantly IgG in nature and no cross-reactivity was seen with OMP preparations extracted from E. coli. Variable reactivity was noted with OMP preparations obtained from other Salmonella spp. Three major OMPs are presented in the antigen preparation and strong binding of positive sera was detected to all three bands.
Typhoid fever remains a common problem in Malaysia, but for its diagnosis both blood culture and the Widal test have drawbacks. A dot enzyme immunoassay (EIA) has been developed which detects IgM and IgG antibodies to a specific 50 kDa outer membrane protein on Salmonella typhi. This study was performed among outpatients attending the university hospital in Kelantan, a state on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia where typhoid is endemic. The dot EIA was done on 149 outpatients of all ages in whom typhoid was suspected. Of these, 60 were not analysable due to insufficient data. The other 89 were retrospectively classed as typhoid (total = 21), or not typhoid (total = 68). The criteria for diagnosis of typhoid was either, blood culture was positive, or with blood culture negative, temperature was at least 38 degrees C and Widal O and/or H titer greater than or equal to 1/160. We then compared the diagnosis with the EIA result. For the result where either IgM or IgG was positive, sensitivity was 90%, specificity 91% and negative predictive value 97%. For IgM positive, specificity was 100%. But the specificity of IgG positive alone was reduced by six false positives, which were probably due to persistence of IgG after acute infection. Other cases were found where IgG positive alone appeared in the first week of typhoid fever, probably due to rapid response in a second or subsequent infection. We also found that IgM-producing patients were significantly younger than those showing IgG alone positive.
Study site: Community Medicine clinic, Accident & emergency department, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kelantan, Malaysia
Hemolysin E (HlyE) is an immunogenic novel pore-forming toxin involved in the pathogenesis of typhoid fever. Thus, mapping of B-cell epitopes of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) is critical to identify key immunogenic regions of HlyE. A random 20-mer peptide library was used for biopanning with enriched anti-HlyE polyclonal antibodies from typhoid patient sera. Bioinformatic tools were used to refine, analyze and map the enriched peptide sequences against the protein to identify the epitopes. The analysis identified both linear and conformational epitopes on the HlyE protein. The predicted linear GAAAGIVAG and conformational epitope PYSQESVLSADSQNQK were further validated against the pooled sera. The identified epitopes were then used to isolate epitope specific monoclonal antibodies by antibody phage display. Monoclonal scFv antibodies were enriched for both linear and conformational epitopes. Molecular docking was performed to elucidate the antigen-antibody interaction of the monoclonal antibodies against the epitopes on the HlyE monomer and oligomer structure. An in-depth view of the mechanistic and positional characteristics of the antibodies and epitope for HlyE was successfully accomplished by a combination of phage display and bioinformatic analysis. The predicted function and structure of the antibodies highlights the possibility of utilizing the antibodies as neutralizing agents for typhoid fever.
The objective of this study was to investigate the longevity of positive dot enzyme immunosorbent assay (dot EIA) results for IgM and IgG to a Salmonella typhi outer membrane protein in Malaysian children with enteric fever. The patients were children one month to 12 years of age with clinical evidence of typhoid fever, positive blood or stool cultures for S. typhi, and/or a positive Widal test result who were admitted over a two-year period to General Hospital (Kota Bharu, Malaysia). These patients received standard inpatient treatment for enteric fever including chloramphenicol therapy for 14 days. Dot EIA tests were performed as part of clinical and laboratory assessments on admission, at two weeks, and then at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 21 months postdischarge. Assessment of the longevity of positive dot EIA IgM and IgG titers was done by Kaplan-Meier analysis. In 94 evaluable patients, 28% were dot EIA IgM positive but IgG negative on admission, 50% were both IgM and IgG positive, and 22% were IgM negative and IgG positive. Mean persistence of IgM dot EIA positivity was 2.6 months (95% confidence interval = 2.0-3.1 months) and that of IgG was 5.4 months (4.5-6.3 months). There were no significant differences between the three subgroups. Thus, positive IgM and IgG results determined by dot EIA within four and seven months, respectively, following documented or suspected enteric fever in a child from an endemic area should be interpreted with caution. In other clinical situations, the dot EIA remains a rapid and reliable aid to diagnosis.