Evaluation of sera from patients with Lyme disease in the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test for syphilis.
To determine whether the cross-reactivity between Treponema pallidum and Borrelia burgdorferi affects the specificity of the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-Abs) test for syphilis, sera from patients with Lyme disease or syphilis were examined in a quantitative FTA-Abs test. Sera were diluted serially in phosphate-buffered saline, then in sorbent, and were tested with T. pallidum and B. burgdorferi antigens. Nine of 40 sera from patients with known Lyme disease were reactive at the 1:5 dilution with antigen from T. pallidum; only one serum was reactive at the 1:10 dilution. When both antigens were tested, the titer against B. burgdorferi was always higher than that against T. pallidum. Similarly, sera from patients with syphilis showed cross-reactivity with B. burgdorferi. Although reactivity could be absorbed with Treponemal phagedenis (Reiter strain), simultaneous titration with both antigens was easily performed and designated the etiologic agent.
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001898:Borrelia / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000097:blood*; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial