Laboratory studies in a series of biologic false-positive reactors.

Abstract

The existence of the biologic false-positive reaction in the standard tests for syphilis has long been suspected. Its exact significance is as yet unknown. This report concerns a group of patients who, in the main, had no medical sign or symptom except a biologic false-positive reaction. To shed light on the significance of this finding, a variety of laboratory tests were done on each patient. These included serum electrophoretic patterns * and/or protein partitions by the Howe method; cephalin flocculation; thymol turbidity determinations; sedimentation rates; heterophil, Brucella, cold agglutinin, and cryoglobulin determinations; L. E. preparations; Coombs tests; complete blood cell counts, and urinalyses. The importance of the biologic false-positive reaction is evident from our experience 1,2 and that of others. 3-6 From our first report, 1 in a group of 73 patients admitted to the hospital for various diseases and found to