Evaluation of a fully automated treponemal test and comparison with conventional VDRL and FTA-ABS tests.
We evaluated analytic performances of an automated treponemal test and compared this test with the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test (VDRL) and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test (FTA-ABS). Precision performance of the Architect Syphilis TP assay (TP; Abbott Japan, Tokyo, Japan) was assessed, and 150 serum samples were assayed with the TP before and after heat inactivation to estimate the effect of heat inactivation. A total of 616 specimens were tested with the FTA-ABS and TP, and 400 were examined with the VDRL. The TP showed good precision performance with total imprecision of less than a 10% coefficient of variation. An excellent linear relationship between results before and after heat inactivation was observed (R(2) = 0.9961). The FTA-ABS and TP agreed well with a κ coefficient of 0.981. The concordance rate between the FTA-ABS and TP was the highest (99.0%), followed by the rates between FTA-ABS and VDRL (85.0%) and between TP and VDRL (83.8%). The automated TP assay may be adequate for screening for syphilis in a large volume of samples and can be an alternative to FTA-ABS.
Dept of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 250 Sungsan-no, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Yongjung
Y
Park
Younhee
Y
Park
Shin Young
SY
Joo
Myoung Hee
MH
Park
Hyon-Suk
HS
Kim
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016508:Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-Absorption Test / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D014209:Treponema Immobilization Test / Q000379:methods; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000302:isolation & purification*