Skip to main content
Applied Microbiology logoLink to Applied Microbiology
. 1969 Sep;18(3):485–489. doi: 10.1128/am.18.3.485-489.1969

Automated, Quantitative Microhemagglutination Assay for Treponema pallidum Antibodies

Patricia M Cox 1, Leslie C Logan 1, Leslie C Norins 1
PMCID: PMC378010  PMID: 4907009

Abstract

An automated, quantitative microhemagglutination assay for antibodies to Treponema pallidum was developed by using T. pallidum-sensitized erythrocytes and an automatic serial-dilution instrument. Reactivity was found in sera from 54 rabbits and 6 chimpanzees infected with T. pallidum. Reactivity was also found in sera from animals infected with T. pertenue, T. carateum, and T. cuniculi. No reactivity was found in sera from 75 normal rabbits or from 129 rabbits immunized with cultivatable treponemes or a variety of other bacteria. In approximately 3 min, 13 twofold serial dilutions of each of 8 preabsorbed sera and the addition of sensitized erythrocytes to each dilution were accomplished automatically. The automated assay can serve as a research tool in quantitating antibodies to pathogenic treponemes, and evaluation of its clinical usefulness seems warranted.

Full text

PDF
485

Selected References

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

  1. DEACON W. E., FALCONE V. H., HARRIS A. A fluorescent test for treponemal antibodies. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1957 Nov;96(2):477–480. doi: 10.3181/00379727-96-23512. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Goss W. A., Cimijotti E. B. Evaluation of an automatic diluting device for microbiological applications. Appl Microbiol. 1968 Sep;16(9):1414–1416. doi: 10.1128/am.16.9.1414-1416.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. 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]
  4. JULIAN A. J., PORTNOY J., BOSSAK H. N. False positive reactions in treponemal tests. Br J Vener Dis. 1963 Mar;39:30–32. doi: 10.1136/sti.39.1.30. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Kuhn U. S., 3rd, Varela G., Chandler F. W., Jr, Osuna G. G. Experimental pinta in the chimpanzee. JAMA. 1968 Oct 21;206(4):829–829. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Meyer P. E., Hunter E. F. Antigenic relationships of 14 treponemes demonstrated by immunofluorescence. J Bacteriol. 1967 Mar;93(3):784–789. doi: 10.1128/jb.93.3.784-789.1967. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Miller J. N., Bekker J. H., DeBruijn J. H., Onvlee P. C. The immunologic response of goats to normal and syphilitic rabbit testicular tissue. J Immunol. 1966 Aug;97(2):184–188. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Mothershed S. M., Yobs A. R., Clark J. W., Jr Comparison of the VDRL slide, TPI, and FTA-ABS tests in experimental syphilis in rabbits. Br J Vener Dis. 1967 Dec;43(4):267–271. doi: 10.1136/sti.43.4.267. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Rathlev T. Haemagglutination test utilizing pathogenic Treponema pallidum for the sero-diagnosis of syphilis. Br J Vener Dis. 1967 Sep;43(3):181–185. doi: 10.1136/sti.43.3.181. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Tomizawa T. Hemagglutination tests for diagnosis of syphilis. A preliminary report. Jpn J Med Sci Biol. 1966 Dec;19(6):305–308. doi: 10.7883/yoken1952.19.305. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES