title: [Specific IgM tests in syphilis diagnosis].
abstract: A total of 359 sera of untreated patients with syphilis were examined by three methods for the detection of Treponema pallidum specific IgM antibodies, the 19S-IgM-FTA-ABS test, the IgM solid phase haemadsorption assay (IgM-SPHA), and the IgM Captia assay. The results were compared and evaluated. In primary syphilis, the 19S-IgM-FTA-ABS and IgM-captia yielded reactive results in all patients, whereas only 40% were positive in the IgM-SPHA; the corresponding values for early latent syphilis wee 96.0%, 89.8% and 73.1%, respectively. In secondary syphilis, the reactivity of one serum out of 27 was missed by IgM captia and that of another, by the IgM-SPHA. Mean values (ELISA units = extinction/cut-off) of IgM-captia were higher in primary (2.25) than in secondary syphilis (1.70). In neurosyphilis, only the IgM-SPHA test detected reactivity in all sera, sensitivity for 19S-IgM FTA-ABS and IgM-Captia was 50.0% and 23.1%, respectively. Specificity of the IgM-Captia test results, determined in 386 sera, was 91.2%. The results of specific IgM tests are essential in the diagnosis of congenital syphilis as well as in the recognition of reinfection; they indicate the need for treatment and are useful in the assessment of the effectiveness of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig-Boltzmann-Institut für dermato-venerologische Serodiagnostik, Stadt Wien-Lainz.
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luger
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duschet
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Seifert
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gschnait
mesh_terms: D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D009494:Neurosyphilis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D012008:Recurrence; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D013590:Syphilis, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D013591:Syphilis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D013592:Syphilis, Latent / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007075:Immunoglobulin M
vernacular_title: Spezifische IgM-Teste in der Syphilis-Diagnose.