title: [The problem of determining Treponema-specific IgM-antibodies with the TPHA test in primary syphilis].
abstract: Approximately 10% of the investigated 49 patients with primary syphilis are non-reactive in the TPHA test if the standard technique is used. The reason for this observation can be elucidated by the ELISA technique. Only patients are affected in a second phase of immunological defence which is characterized by identical serum titres of treponemal IgM and IgG antibodies. The rate of TPHA false non-reactive results in primary syphilis can be diminished by using the test with a starting serum dilution of 1:5 instead of 1:20.
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007075:Immunoglobulin M
vernacular_title: Zur Problematik des Nachweises treponemaspezifischer IgM-Antikörper mit dem TPHA-Test bei der Primärsyphilis.