Laboratory methods of diagnosis of syphilis

[JWissmille]

".........Despite that the whole genome of T. pallidum, the causative agent of
syphilis, has been sequenced, syphilis is, and will remain for some time,
diagnosed by direct clinical observation........"

Microbes Infect 1999 Oct;1(12):1035-49 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

Laboratory methods of diagnosis of syphilis for the beginning of the third
millennium.

Wicher K, Horowitz HW, Wicher V.

Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA.

Despite that the whole genome of T. pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis,
has been sequenced, syphilis is, and will remain for some time, diagnosed by
direct clinical observation and by laboratory methods. This review presents
comprehensively most of the practical techniques used for direct detection of
T. pallidum and lists all practical methods for phospholipid and treponemal
antibodies detection. It describes most novel tests for syphilis, discusses
problems with sero-creossreactivity in Lyme disease, immune responses in
HIV-syphilis coinfected patients, and reviews serologic responses to antibiotic
treatment.

Publication Types:
Review
Review, Tutorial

PMID: 10617935 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]