title: Alterations in the course of experimental syphilis associated with concurrent simian immunodeficiency virus infection.
abstract: Case reports suggest that the course of syphilis is altered in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). To investigate this issue, a model of syphilis in rhesus macaques with and without simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) was developed. After intradermal inoculation with Treponema pallidum, 2 SIV-infected monkeys had persistent ulcerative primary lesions and 1 developed secondary syphilis. Two SIV-uninfected controls developed transient nonulcerative primary lesions. Only the controls showed consistent VDRL antibody responses. In contrast, reciprocal antibody titers to T. pallidum detected by microhemagglutination were higher in SIV-infected animals (greater than or equal to 20,480) than controls (greater than or equal to 1280). All 4 animals developed a full range of T. pallidum antigen-specific antibodies shown by immunoblot and had similar peak lymphocyte proliferative responses to T. pallidum antigens. These results support the contention that retrovirus-induced immunodeficiency delays clearance of T. pallidum from sites of infection and may impair the humoral immune response to syphilis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Handsfield
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kuller
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Morton
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lukehart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D002601:Chancre / Q000473:pathology; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D013587:Syphilis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial