title: Syphilis serology in patients with primary syphilis and non-treponemal sexually transmitted diseases in southern Africa.
abstract: The reactivity of a non-specific reagin (RPR) test and a specific treponemal (FTA-ABS) test were determined in 21 patients with primary syphilis, 430 patients with proven non-treponemal genital ulcerations and 719 patients with acute urethritis presenting at a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases in southern Africa. Excluding those 21 cases of primary syphilis, 358 of 1149 tests performed (31%) were found to be reactive by at least one test. The rate of false positive RPR tests was very low (0.02%). Significantly higher rates of seropositivity were detected in patients with genital ulcerations than in patients with acute urethritis. The highest rates were detected among patients with proven lymphogranuloma venereum (34% RPR positive, FTA-ABS positive; 19% RPR negative, FTA-ABS positive). The geometric mean titres (GMT) of positive RPR tests in non-treponemal infections were found to be lower than in darkfield positive cases of genital ulcer disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sischy
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: da L'Exposto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dangor
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Fehler
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Radebe
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Walkden
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ballard
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000353:Africa, Southern / Q000453:epidemiology; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008219:Lymphogranuloma Venereum / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D014456:Ulcer / Q000150:complications; D014526:Urethritis / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic