title: Amplification of the DNA polymerase I gene of Treponema pallidum from whole blood of persons with syphilis.
abstract: Previous reports suggest that Treponema pallidum bacteremia occurs in persons with syphilis exposure ('incubating syphilis') and in persons with primary or secondary syphilis. During a recent syphilis outbreak, whole blood samples from 32 persons with suspected syphilis or syphilis exposure were screened using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the DNA polymerase I gene (polA) of T. pallidum. Of the 32 samples, polA was amplified from 13 (41%). Of these 13, three were determined to have incubating syphilis; two had primary or secondary syphilis and eight had latent syphilis. This study demonstrates that spirochetemia can occur throughout the course of T. pallidum infection.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Division of STD Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Marfin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pillay
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Markowitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004256:DNA Polymerase I / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013587:Syphilis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004256:DNA Polymerase I