A serological study of the age distribution of endemic treponematoses in children from Mali, Africa.
Using the Treponema Pallidum Haemagglutination Assay (TPHA) for the demonstration of treponema-specific antibodies, 444 children in age groups between 5 months and 10 years from different parts of Mali (Africa) were investigated for endemic treponematoses. The rate of seroreactivity (1,85%) in the age groups under four years (n = 270) indicates a low incidence of treponemal infections. From these observations it can be concluded that treponemal infections in infants are not caused by suckling of the babies on infectious nipples of their mothers. The high rate of TPHA-reactive children (17,8%) in the age groups between 5 and 10 years (n = 174) can be explained by the assumption of nonvenereal transmission of the disease. Furthermore, 101 mothers from Bamako and their newborn babies, were investigated serologically. In 17 mothers (17%) the TPHA was reactive. Treponema-specific antibodies were transmitted to the children in all cases and with nearly identical antibody titres.
D000367:Age Factors; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008302:Mali; D013587:Syphilis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial