False-positive Reactions For Syphilis Research Articles

Association Of Hepatitis C Virus Infection With False-Positive Tests For Syphilis

The prevalence of false-positive reactions for syphilis (reactive rapid plasma reagin [RPR] test and nonreactive fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption [FTA-ABS] test) among patients at sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics was assessed to evaluate the association between false-positive RPR reactions and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Among 2672 patients, 400 (15.0%) had antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) and 254 (9.5%) had a reactive RPR test. Of the 254 reactive RPR tests, 231 (90.1%) were also positive by FTA-ABS, leaving 23 false-positive RPR reactions. After excluding the 231 patients with positive FTA-ABS tests, false-positive RPR tests were found in 9 (2.7%) of 330 anti-HCV-positive patients compared with 14 (0.6%) of 2154 anti-HCV-negative participants (relative risk, 4.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.9-10.9; P = .0017). These data demonstrate that HCV infection is associated with false-positive RPR test results. However, because of the high prevalence of syphilis among STD patients, the RPR test remains a strong indicator of syphilis in this setting.

Evaluation of Western immunoblotting technique in the serological diagnosis of human syphilitic infections

Purified human syphilitic antibodies against both 15.5 Kd and 45 Kd treponemal antigens appear T. pallidum specific and do not cross react with antigens possessed by other treponemes (T. phagedenis, T. hyodysenteriae and a human intestinal treponeme). By using Western immunoblotting technique, 107 out of 110 syphilitic patients and 291 out of 294 subjects with serologically positive diagnostic tests for syphilis were found to have in their sera antibodies against a 15.5 Kd specific antigen of T. pallidum. These antibodies were present in 100% of the patient with secondary or early latent syphilis, both untreated and treated, in 98.24% of those with late latent treated syphilis and in 100% of patients with neurosyphilis. On the contrary, they were absent in 47 patients with false positive reactions for syphilis and in 121 healthy blood donors. For these reasons, the demonstration of these kind of antibodies in a patient's serum can be considered of high value in differentiating syphilitic patients from non infected individuals.

Antinuclear Factors, the Antihumanglobulin Consumption Test, and Wassermann Reaction in Psoriatic Arthritis

SummarySera from 50 patients with psoriasis and arthritis, 46 without rheumatoid factor, were studied for the presence of antinuclear factors as determined by the immuno-fluorescentantibody technique (ANF) or the antihumanglobulin consumption test (AGKT). Three out of 48 sera had a positive ANF-reaction, and one out of 44 sera showed a strongly positive AGKT-reaction (+ +). Ten out of 44 sera showed weak AGKT-reactions (+), which are found in sera of normal individuals. No biologically false positive reactions for syphilis were demonstrated among the fifty patients. Thus, the present study showed no special immunological patterns of reaction in psoriatic arthritis.

Ageing and false positive reactions for syphilis.

Ageing and false positive reactions for syphilis.

Incidence of the anti-nuclear factor in human sera.

Miescher and Fauconnet (1954) reported that the ability of serum from patients suffering from disseminated lupus erythematosus (D.L.E.) to induce the formation of L.E. cells was abolished if the serum was previously incubated with nuclear material. Friou (1957), using the Coons' technique, showed that cells in unfixed sections of tissue exposed to serum from patients with D.L.E. and, subsequently, to fluorescein-conjugated anti-human globulin serum, exhibited nuclear fluorescence. The presence of an anti-nuclear factor (A.N.F.) in this disease has been confirmed by other workers and the subject has recently been reviewed by Holman and Kunkel (1959). Goodman, Fahey, Malmgren, and Brecher (1959) have identified A.N.F. as a gamma globulin, separable from that associated with the formation of L.E. cells. The presence of identical or closelyrelated globulins has now been reported in other diseases, particularly in those characterized by involvement of connective tissues. The results of several investigations are summarized in Table I. Using the Coons' fluorescent antibody technique, A.N.F. was detected in sixty of the 62 cases of D.L.E. tested (97 per cent.) and was also present in a proportion of cases of scleroderma, dermatomyositis and polyarteritis nodosa. The incidence of A.N.F. in rheumatoid arthritis has been variously reported as less than 10 per cent. by Friou (1958a), 16 per cent. by Holborow and Weir (1958), and 48 per cent. by Duthie, Bremner, and Alexander (1959). The series of Bardawil, Toy, Galins, and Bayles (1958) is too small to be significant, but Bardawil, Hall, and Bayles (in a communication to the American Rheumatism Association quoted by Sokoloff, Bloch, Seegmiller, Stollerman, and Yielding, 1959) detected A.N.F. in 39 per cent. of cases of severe rheumatoid arthritis. Fessel (1959), using latex particles coated with nucleoprotein as an indicator, demonstrated A.N.F. in 23 per cent. of 150 rheumatoid sera tested. Few positive results have been obtained in diseases other than those affecting connective tissue, and the observation by Friou (1958a) and Fessel (1959) that A.N.F. was present in a number of sera exhibiting false positive reactions for syphilis is interesting in view of the speculations of Moore (1956) on the possible relationship of biologic false positive reactions to diseases of connective tissue. Weir (1959) reported the presence of A.N.F. in five of 38 sera from patients suffering from hepatic disease and in 10 per cent. of patients with disease of the thyroid gland. A.N.F. has been demonstrated in most cases of D.L.E., but the reported incidence in rheumatoid arthritis has varied widely (Table I, opposite). This suggests that the techniques used in the several investigations differed in sensitivity, but that A.N.F. was always present in sufficiently large amounts in D.L.E. to be detected even by the less sensitive techniques. Friou (1958b), using a semiquantitative method, has already shown that A.N.F. is usually present in higher titre in D.L.E. than in rheumatoid arthritis. It seemed important, in view of these results and the current view that A.N.F. may be of pathogenic significance in D.L.E., to screen a large number of human sera for A.N.F. by a sensitive technique. The results of a survey of 1,116 sera are presented in this report with special reference to the prevalence and possible significance of A.N.F. in rheumatoid arthritis.

Treponema pallidum immune adherence (TPIA) test in diagnosis of syphilis.

The dependability of the Treponema pallidum immobilization (TPI) test in differentiating biologic false-positive reactions for syphilis from those due to infection with the other treponemes has been well established. The procedure is difficult and expensive because motile treponemes are essential as the antigen. Search for a simpler test led to the development of the T. pallidum immune adherence (TPIA) test by Nelson in 1953,1which employs for an antigen killed T. pallidum. The test is based on the principle that T. pallidum sensitized by specific antibody in the patient's serum adheres to the surface of human red blood cells in the presence of complement. On the other hand, adherence of T. pallidum does not take place in the presence of normal serum and complement. Materials and Methods Comparative serologic studies were carried out with the T. pallidum immobilization and T. pallidum immune adherence tests on 189 serum samples. Of

Occurrence of infectious mononucleosis and syphilis in the same individual.

Case Reports1 May 1953OCCURRENCE OF INFECTIOUS MONONUCLEOSIS AND SYPHILIS IN THE SAME INDIVIDUALC. J. D. ZAKAFONETIS, M.D., F.A.C.P.C. J. D. ZAKAFONETIS, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-38-5-1053 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptInfectious mononucleosis and syphilis are notable for their widely varied clinical manifestations. It is also recognized that the differential diagnosis between these conditions may be very difficult under certain circumstances. This is readily apparent when it is recalled that malaise, lassitude, headache, myalgia, fever, sore throat, generalized lymphadenopathy and skin rash are features common to infectious mononucleosis and secondary syphilis. Fortunately, differentiation is usually possible through the use of appropriate laboratory studies. These include repeated examinations of the blood for the appearance of the leukocyte changes associated with infectious mononucleosis, and serial heterophil agglutination tests to detect agglutinins for sheep...Bibliography1. Kahn RL: Are there paradoxic serologic reactions in syphilis? Arch. Dermat. and Syph. 39: 92, 1939. CrossrefGoogle Scholar2. Bernstein A: Infectious mononucleosis, Medicine 19: 85, 1940. CrossrefGoogle Scholar3. Kaufman RE: False positive reactions for syphilis in infectious mononucleosis, J. Lab. and Clin. Med. 26: 1439, 1941. Google Scholar4. WechslerRosenblumSills HFAHCT: Infectious mononucleosis: report of an epidemic in an Army post, Ann. Int. Med. 25: 113, 1946. LinkGoogle Scholar5. ZarafonetisKent CJJF: Serologic tests for syphilis in infectious mononucleosis, to be published. Google Scholar6. Zarafonetis CJ: Infectious mononucleosis, Journal-Lancet 69: 364, 1949. MedlineGoogle Scholar7. ZarafonetisOster CJHL: Heterophile agglutination variability of erythrocytes from different sheep, J. Lab. and Clin. Med. 36: 283, 1950. MedlineGoogle Scholar8. BaldridgeRohnerHansmann CWEJGH: Glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis), Arch. Int. Med. 38: 413, 1926. CrossrefGoogle Scholar9. White EC: Lymphadenosis, an acute benign disease simulating acute leukemia, U. S. Nav. M. Bull. 22: 302, 1925. Google Scholar10. Farley DL: Acute infectious mononucleosis, M. Clin. North America 21: 1139, 1937. CrossrefGoogle Scholar11. GendelCottrell BRJE: Infectious mononucleosis: a review, Am. Pract. 2: 472, 1948. Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania*Received for publication November 5, 1952.From the Departments of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School and Temple University Medical School.†Part of a broader study of infectious mononucleosis made possible by a grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byFurther Progress in Venereology 1 May 1953Volume 38, Issue 5Page: 1053-1057KeywordsFatigueFeversHematologic testsMyalgiaPharyngitisRashesResearch laboratoriesSecondary headachesSkin infectionsSyphilis ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 May 1953 PDF downloadLoading ...

Effects of Smallpox Vaccination (Vaccinia) on Serologic Tests for Syphilis.

SummaryEvidence is presented in confirmation of the work of others that smallpox (vaccinia) vaccination gives rise to false positive reactions for syphilis. The incidence of positive reactions by the use of the Kolmer, Kahn and Mazzini tests was 11.8%. The false positive reactions are transitory but may persist for 2 months or more.

Biologic false positive reactions for syphilis associated with hyperproteinemia: Cardon, L. C., Atlas, D. H., et al.: Arch. Dermat. & Syph. 46: 713, 1942

Biologic false positive reactions for syphilis associated with hyperproteinemia: Cardon, L. C., Atlas, D. H., et al.: Arch. Dermat. & Syph. 46: 713, 1942