Septarika Sasi Ananta; Syafa Nafisa Rambu Rabbana; Defi Nurul Hayati; Bunga Rahmadani Prayitno; Sasi Alia Utari +3 more
Typhoid fever remains a significant diagnostic challenge, particularly regarding the interpretation of Widal test results which are often affected by antibody persistence. This study aims to analyze the variations in Widal antibody titers among students at Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto, focusing on the time interval since their last confirmed infection. Using a cross-sectional design, serum samples from 24 students were analyzed through the semi-quantitative slide agglutination technique to detect Salmonella typhi O and H agglutinins. The findings indicated that anti-Salmonella O titers could persist up to 1:320 in individuals with an infection history of more than one year. In contrast, anti-Salmonella H was only identified in more recent infections (less than a year) with a lower titer of 1:80, and was undetectable in samples from infections exceeding one year. These results demonstrate that O antigens remain detectable in the blood significantly longer than H antigens. This study suggests that the duration since the last infection is a critical factor in the screening and validation of Widal test results. Accurate identification of these titer variations is essential for clinical laboratory technologists to provide more precise diagnostic data and support effective clinical management.