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Órgano oficial de difusión de la Federación Mexicana de Patología Clínica, AC y de la Asociación Latinoamericana de Patología Clínica/Medicina de Laboratorio

2003, Number 2

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Rev Mex Patol Clin Med Lab 2003; 50 (2)

Laboratory diagnosis of syphilis

Carrada BT

Language: Spanish
References: 63
Page: 82-96
PDF size: 186.11 Kb.


ABSTRACT

Syphilis is a systemic disease caused by Treponema pallidum. In the infection earliest stages the darkfield examination or immunofluorescent direct staining of spirochetes are the quickest laboratory methods. Two different types of seric antibodies can be measured: the nontreponemal Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test and the specific treponemal tests such as the fluorescent treponemal antibody absortion (FTA-ABS), the former is rapid, inexpensive and convenient for screening large number of sera and as indicator of clinical disease activity. The principal use of the treponemal test is to verify a positive nontreponemal (reaginic) test result. Because T. pallidum cannot be cultivated on artificial media, inoculation in rabbits in the only mean available to isolate the organism. There is strong epidemiologic association between HIV infection and genital syphilic ulcer. Syphilis in HIV-infected patients often manifest with a more protacted and malignant course, greater organs involvement, and a significant predisposition to develop neurosyphilis and uveitis. As many as 11% of HIV-infected syphilitic patients have a biological false-positive serology.


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