Fever & infections
Blood Culture & Sensitivity39% off
Grows the actual bacteria + tests antibiotics
- Blood
- 2–5 days
- Home pickup
₹1,379₹2,249
Save ₹870
Typhoid tests compared
The cheap Widal test is famously unreliable on its own. Here's what it can and can't tell you — and the better option.
The bottom line
Blood culture is the reliable test for typhoid — it actually grows the bacteria and can guide antibiotics, though it takes a few days. Widal is inexpensive and fast but produces both false positives (from past infection or vaccination) and false negatives, so a single Widal should never diagnose typhoid on its own. Ideally, in ongoing fever, a blood culture is taken before antibiotics start. Always let a doctor interpret these — this page is guidance, not a diagnosis.
You want the reliable answer and haven't started antibiotics yet.
See price & bookPick Widal TestYour doctor wants a quick, low-cost adjunct — read with caution.
See price & bookTyphoid testing is a classic example of cheap-and-fast versus accurate. The Widal test looks for antibodies against typhoid bacteria, and it is inexpensive — but antibodies can be raised by a past infection or a vaccine, and can be low early in a real one. That gives a well-known pattern of both false positives and false negatives.
Blood culture takes a sample and tries to grow the actual bacteria. It is far more reliable and can even test which antibiotics will work, but results take a few days and the sample is best taken before antibiotics begin.
| Blood Culture Gold standard · takes days | Widal Test Cheap & fast · unreliable alone | |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability | High (gold standard) | Low on its own |
| Speed of result | A few days | Fast |
| Guides antibiotic choice | Yes | No |
| Typical price band | Mid | Lowest |
| Affected by past infection / vaccine | No | Yes |
Grows the actual bacteria + tests antibiotics
Save ₹870
Heads up: Slower; best drawn before antibiotics
Antibodies against typhoid bacteria
Save ₹1,480
Heads up: False positives and false negatives are common
Free home collection
A phlebotomist visits at your chosen time.
NABL-accredited labs
Accredited partner labs for reliable results.
Reports to your dashboard
Digital reports, usually within hours.
A registered doctor reviews your symptoms and history, tells you exactly which test you need, and interprets the results with you.
This page is general information to help you choose a test, not a diagnosis or medical advice. Lab results should be interpreted by a doctor alongside your symptoms and history.