title: The laboratory diagnosis of congenital syphilis: a review.
abstract: The serodiagnosis of congenital syphilis is reviewed. Maternal history is the least reliable criterion for detecting congenital syphilis. A positive maternal history may or may not be valid; a negative maternal history does not rule out the possibility of congenital syphilis. Syphilis serology performed on the infant is a better criterion for detecting asymptomatic congenital syphilis or delayed onset. Serial VDRL titers on the infants are the best diagnostic tool presently available. A decreasing titer indicates the presence of maternally derived antibodies. The FTA-ABS (IgM) is still not sufficiently evaluated and standardized for routine clinical application.
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology; D013587:Syphilis / Q000276:immunology; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D013590:Syphilis, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial