The response of the Treponema Pallidum Haemagglutination Assay (TPHA) to treatment was studied in 61 cases of early infectious syphilis. In none of the 55 cases of early syphilis in which the pre-treatment TPHA was positive did the TPHA test become consistently negative after treatment. In primary and early latent syphilis it was not possible to demonstrate any significant changes, but in some cases of secondary syphilis a significant and rapidfall in TPHA titre occurred with treatment. It is suggested that the post-treatment TPHA titre need not necessarily reflect the stage at which the disease was arrested.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
FiumaraN. J. (1977a). The treatment of sero positive primary syphilis: An evaluation of 196 patients. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 4, 92.
2.
FiumaraN. J. (1977b). Reinfection Primary and Secondary Syphilis: The post-treatment serologic response. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 4, 132.
3.
O'NeillP. (1976). A new look at the serology of treponemal disease. British Journal of Venereal Diseases, 52, 296.
4.
RathlevT. (1967). Haemagglutination test utilising pathogenic treponema pallidum for the sero diagnosis of syphilis. British Journal of Venereal Diseases, 43, 181.
5.
RobertsonD. H. H.McMillanA.YoungH.HenrichsenC. (1975). Clinical value of the Treponema pallidum haemagglutination test. British Journal of Venereal Diseases, 51, 79.
6.
YoungH.HenrichsenC.RobertsonD. H. H. (1974). Treponema pallidum haemagglutination test as a screening procedure for the diagnosis of syphilis. British Journal of Venereal Diseases, 50, 341.
