Diagnosis of congenital syphilis by combining Treponema pallidum-specific IgM detection with immunofluorescent antigen detection for T. pallidum.

Abstract

Most infants at risk for congenital syphilis can be identified easily by a positive maternal serologic test for syphilis. However, a diagnosis of congenital syphilis can be difficult to make in an individual infant. Seven infants with delayed-onset congenital syphilis and 101 newborns at risk for congenital syphilis were evaluated for characteristic physical findings and laboratory-detectable abnormalities of congenital syphilis. By using a combination of Western blot for T. pallidum-specific IgM detection and immunofluorescent antigen detection for the identification of T. pallidum, a diagnosis of congenital syphilis was made in all 7 infants with delayed-onset congenital syphilis and 24 of the 101 newborns at risk for congenital syphilis. However, T. pallidum-specific IgM was negative in 6 of the 24 newborns with congenital syphilis. T. pallidum-specific IgM detection alone is inadequate for the diagnosis of congenital syphilis.

• Authors: K Bromberg, S Rawstron, G Tannis
• Journal: The Journal of infectious diseases (J Infect Dis) Vol. 168 Issue 1 Pg. 238-42 (Jul 1993) ISSN: 0022-1899 [Print] United States
• PMID: 8515119 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Bacterial
• Antigens, Bacterial
• Immunoglobulin M

Topics

• Antibodies, Bacterial (analysis)
• Antigens, Bacterial (analysis)
• Blotting, Western
• Fluorescent Antibody Technique
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin M (analysis)
• Infant, Newborn
• Syphilis Serodiagnosis (methods)
• Syphilis, Congenital (diagnosis)
• Treponema pallidum (immunology)