Evaluation of the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-Abs) test specificity.
Serum samples from 43 patients with positive test for syphilis only in the FTA-Abs test, were evaluated. Three had primary or treated syphilis. Twenty-one (49%) had clinical and/or serological signs of Lyme borreliosis as assessed by whole-cell sonicate Borrelia burgdorferi ELISA and Western blot techniques. Seven (16%) had genital Herpes simplex infection and the remaining 12 patients, miscellaneous disorders. In control sera from 30 patients with Lyme borreliosis an isolated positive FTA-Abs reaction was found in 13 patients (43%). Elevated Borrelia ELISA titres were found in nine of 30 (30%) syphilitic patient serum samples, whereas Western blots for Borrelia were negative. Six per cent of healthy blood donors were seropositive for Borrelia. Lyme borreliosis is an important cause of cross-reactions in the FTA-Abs test. Other serological tests for syphilis and Western blot for Borrelia are useful for discrimination.
Department of Bacteriology, Central Microbiological Laboratory, Stockholm County Council, Sweden.
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B
Carlsson
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HS
Hanson
J
J
Wasserman
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A
Brauner
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D016508:Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-Absorption Test / Q000592:standards*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*