Schick test is used for the detection of?

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2017

Explanation

The Schick test is a specific in-vivo skin test used to determine an individual's susceptibility or immunity to Diphtheria.
It works by injecting a small, standardized dose of diphtheria toxin intradermally into the forearm.
A positive reaction, characterized by redness and swelling, indicates a lack of neutralizing antibodies (antitoxin), meaning the person is susceptible to the disease.
A negative reaction, where no inflammation occurs, signifies that the person has sufficient antibodies and is immune.

Option A: The screening test for Tuberculosis (T.B.) is the Mantoux test (Tuberculin Skin Test), not the Schick test.
Option B: The Widal test is a serological test commonly used for the diagnosis of Typhoid fever.
Option D: The diagnosis of Cholera is confirmed by identifying the causative agent, Vibrio cholerae, in the patient's stool.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Immunity testing for infectious diseases as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the Schick test helps differentiate between assessing immunity and diagnosing active disease. While historically significant, it is now largely replaced by serological tests and is not used for acute diagnosis.
Nurses play a key role in administering and interpreting various skin tests and educating patients about vaccination schedules (e.g., DTaP/Tdap), which have made immunity tests like the Schick test largely obsolete in clinical practice.
What if? If a patient with an unknown vaccination history presents with a sore throat, fever, and a greyish pseudomembrane in the pharynx, the priority is not a Schick test. The priority is immediate clinical suspicion of diphtheria, isolation, and collection of throat swabs for culture, with potential administration of antitoxin and antibiotics even before confirmation.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of specific diagnostic tests for infectious diseases.
Identify the key term in the question stem: 'Schick test'.
Systematically recall or deduce the disease associated with this specific test from your studies in microbiology and community health nursing.
Evaluate each option: T.B. is linked to the Mantoux test, Typhoid to the Widal test, and Cholera to stool culture.
Conclude that the Schick test is specifically associated with Diphtheria.
Select the option that correctly matches the test to the disease.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Q49ZaPchSOTYQDt5jmohrW

E6 Microbiology Applied AnjuDhir 3e Part 2 p. 106-108

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart B (pp 202-403 of 604) pp. 92-94, 87-89

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