[Syphilis, infection and serology].
The in- and out patient departments of Dermatology report in Switzerland every year between 300 to 400 newly diagnosed cases of syphilis--mostly primary syphilis--to the federal public health service. The serological tests decisive for such a diagnosis have been fundamentally changed in the last few years. Among the classical tests only the cardiolipin complement binding test (Card-CFT) and the VDRL test remain still valuable. They are suitable for controlling the course of disease after treatment. Nowadays two tests are essential for the diagnosis, i.e. the TPHA and the FTA-ABS. They are highly specific for syphilis and become already positive between the 2nd and the 3rd week after inoculation. On the other hand these tests are of no value for the follow-up after therapy. A positive FTA-ABS-19S-IgM test indicates the necessity of treatment. Practical examples may illustrate the interpretation of different reactions.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013557:Switzerland; D013587:Syphilis / Q000453:epidemiology; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology
D010406:Penicillins
Lues, Seuche und Serologie.