Skip to main content
PMC home page
Genitourinary Medicine logoLink to Genitourinary Medicine
. 1986 Oct;62(5):293–297. doi: 10.1136/sti.62.5.293

Serological tests for syphilis in Saudi Arabia.

A Hossain
PMCID: PMC1011979  PMID: 3770753

Abstract

A total of 6684 sera were initially screened for syphilis by the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test and the Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA). Reactive sera from either or both these tests were tested for confirmation by the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorbed (FTA-ABS) test. VDRL biological false positive reactors were detected in 0.5% of the total sera examined, with 0.4% and 0.8%, respectively, obtained in pregnant women and blood donors. Eight sera (0.1%) were found to be positive in the TPHA test alone. An overall positivity of 2.7% for syphilis was detected, with a 0.85% positivity in antenatal patients. Infection with T pallidum seemed to be more common in men than in women (1.6:1) and predominated in the age group 20-39 years. Serological testing of sera from 26 mother and infant pairs allowed one case of congenital syphilis to be detected by FTA-ABS (IgM) and identified VDRL biological false positivity in seven infants.

Full text

PDF
293

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Adler M. W. ABC of sexually transmitted diseases. Syphilis: diagnosis and management. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1984 Feb 18;288(6416):551–553. doi: 10.1136/bmj.288.6416.551. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Alford C. A., Jr, Polt S. S., Cassady G. E., Straumfjord J. V., Remington J. S. Gamma-M-fluorescent treponemal antibody in the diagnosis of congenital syphilis. N Engl J Med. 1969 May 15;280(20):1086–1091. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196905152802002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Borobio M. V., Nogales M. C., Palomares J. C. Value of serological diagnosis in congenital syphilis. Report of nine cases. Br J Vener Dis. 1980 Dec;56(6):377–380. doi: 10.1136/sti.56.6.377. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Fichtner R. R., Aral S. O., Blount J. H., Zaidi A. A., Reynolds G. H., Darrow W. W. Syphilis in the United States: 1967-1979. Sex Transm Dis. 1983 Apr-Jun;10(2):77–80. doi: 10.1097/00007435-198304000-00006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Garner M. F. The biological false positive reaction to serological tests for syphilis. J Clin Pathol. 1970 Feb;23(1):31–34. doi: 10.1136/jcp.23.1.31. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. HUNTER E. F., DEACON W. E., MEYER P. E. AN IMPROVED FTA TEST FOR SYPHILIS, THE ABSORPTION PROCEDURE (FTA-ABS). Public Health Rep. 1964 May;79:410–412. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Jegathesan M., Fan Y. H., Ong K. J. Seroreactivity to syphilis in Malaysian blood donors and expectant mothers. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 1975 Sep;6(3):413–418. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. MOORE J. E., MOHR C. F. Biologically false positive serologic tests for syphilis; type, incidence, and cause. J Am Med Assoc. 1952 Oct 4;150(5):467–473. doi: 10.1001/jama.1952.03680050033010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Ney R., Garner M. F., Backhouse J. L., Duarsa N. W., Breguet D., Breguet G. Treponemal serology on Bali Island, Indonesia. Br J Vener Dis. 1982 Dec;58(6):351–354. doi: 10.1136/sti.58.6.351. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. O'Neill P. A new look at the serology of treponemal disease. Br J Vener Dis. 1976 Oct;52(5):296–299. doi: 10.1136/sti.52.5.296. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. O'Neill P., Warner R. W., Nicol C. S. Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay in the routine serodiagnosis of treponemal disease. Br J Vener Dis. 1973 Oct;49(5):427–431. doi: 10.1136/sti.49.5.427. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Rathbun K. C. Congenital syphilis. Sex Transm Dis. 1983 Apr-Jun;10(2):93–99. doi: 10.1097/00007435-198304000-00009. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Ratnam A. V., Din S. N., Hira S. K., Bhat G. J., Wacha D. S., Rukmini A., Mulenga R. C. Syphilis in pregnant women in Zambia. Br J Vener Dis. 1982 Dec;58(6):355–358. doi: 10.1136/sti.58.6.355. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Sogbetun A. O., Alausa K. O., Osoba A. O. Sexually transmitted diseases in Ibadan, Nigeria. Br J Vener Dis. 1977 Jun;53(3):155–160. doi: 10.1136/sti.53.3.155. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Tomizawa T., Kasamatsu S., Yamaya S. I. Usefulness of the hemagglutination test using Treponema pallidum antigen (TPHA) for the serodiagnosis of syphilis. Jpn J Med Sci Biol. 1969 Dec;22(6):341–350. doi: 10.7883/yoken1952.22.341. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Wuepper K. D., Bodily H. L., Tuffanelli D. L. Serologic tests for syphilis and the false-positive reactor. Arch Dermatol. 1966 Aug;94(2):152–155. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Genitourinary Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES