Novel point-of-care test for simultaneous detection of nontreponemal and treponemal antibodies in patients with syphilis.
We describe a point-of-care immunochromatographic test for the simultaneous detection of both nontreponemal and treponemal antibodies in the sera of patients with syphilis that acts as both a screening and a confirmatory test. A total of 1,601 banked serum samples were examined by the dual test, and the results were compared to those obtained using a quantitative rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test and the Treponema pallidum passive particle agglutination (TP-PA) assay. Compared to the RPR test, the reactive concordance of the dual test nontreponemal line was 98.4% when the RPR titers of sera were ≥1:2 and the nonreactive concordance was 98.6%. Compared to the TP-PA assay, the reactive and nonreactive concordances of the treponemal line were 96.5% and 95.5%, respectively. These results indicate that the dual test could be used for the serological diagnosis of syphilis in primary health care clinics or resource-poor settings and therefore improve rates of treatment where patients may fail to return for their laboratory results.
Castro
Arnold R
AR
Laboratory Reference and Research Branch, Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS A-12, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. acastro@cdc.gov
Esfandiari
Javan
J
Kumar
Shailendra
S
Ashton
Matthew
M
Kikkert
Susan E
SE
Park
Mahin M
MM
Ballard
Ronald C
RC
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial