title: The prozone phenomenon in secondary syphilis.
abstract: We describe a 37-year-old woman with secondary syphilis, in whom the prozone phenomenon (false-negative test in undiluted specimens) occurred. The patient had been maintained on cyclosporine and prednisolone after renal transplantation. B-cell dysfunction induced by continuous immunosuppression may lead to higher non-treponemal serological titers. Non-treponemal testing should be repeated using serum dilutions to prevent missing the diagnosis of syphilis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Osaka City University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Osato
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D013591:Syphilis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D010406:Penicillins; D016572:Cyclosporine; D011239:Prednisolone