Comparison of a recombinant-antigen enzyme immunoassay with Treponema pallidum hemagglutination test for serological confirmation of syphilis.
A recombinant-antigen enzyme immunoassay (EIA), BioSCREEN anti-Treponema pallidum, was compared favorably with the T. pallidum hemagglutination test, in the detection of specific antibodies in different groups of sera from patients with primary (n = 38), secondary (n = 10), early latent (n = 28) and congenital syphilis (n = 2), patients with leptospirosis ( n= 8), infectious mononucleosis (n = 7), hepatitis (n = 9), diabetes mellitus (n = 11), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 13), leprosy (n = 11), tuberculosis (n = 9), HIV/Aids ( n= 12), systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 4), rheumatic fever (n = 3), old-persons (n = 9), pregnant women (n = 29) and blood donors (n = 164). The coincidence between them was 95.1%. The sensitivity and specificity of the EIA were 93.3% and 95.5%, respectively. Fifteen serum specimens belonging to old-persons, pregnant women, blood donors, and patients with human leptospirosis, hepatitis, diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis and rheumatic fever gave false-positive results by Venereal Disease Research Laboratory and/or Rapid Plasma Reagin. The EIA can be used as alternative method for the serological confirmation of syphilis.
Rodríguez
Islay
I
Departamento de Bacteriología-Micología, Instituto 'Pedro Kourí', Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba. islay@ipk.sld.cu
Alvarez
Elvio L
EL
Fernández
Carmen
C
Miranda
Alina
A
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013587:Syphilis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D011994:Recombinant Proteins