ArticleSexually transmitted infections2004
Dark ground microscopy and treponemal serological tests in the diagnosis of early syphilis.
Article in Sexually transmitted infections, 2004. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 78 citations in OpenAlex.
- Epidemiology of Syphilis, Diagnosis, Differential Diagnosis and Treatment: Up-to-Date Knowledge.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- Clinical Presentation of Early Syphilis and Genomic Sequences of Treponema pallidum Strains in Patient Specimens and Isolates Obtained by Rabbit Inoculation.The Journal of infectious diseases · 2024Article
- An Update on the Status of Direct Testing forJournal of the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada = Journal officiel de l'Association pour la microbiologie medicale et l'infectiologie Canada · 2024Review
- The role of legal medicine professionals in preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among female victims of sexual assault.Forensic science, medicine, and pathology · 2023Review
- Bioactive Compounds as Potential Agents for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Management: A Review to Explore Molecular Mechanisms of Action.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2021Review
- Syphilis.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2019Article
- The outer membrane protein Tp92 of Treponema pallidum induces human mononuclear cell death and IL-8 secretion.Journal of cellular and molecular medicine · 2018Article
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Syphilis Summit-Diagnostics and Laboratory Issues.Sexually transmitted diseases · 2018Review
- Syphilis: presentations in general medicine.Clinical medicine (London, England) · 2016Article
- Evaluation of the recombinant protein TpF1 of Treponema pallidum for serodiagnosis of syphilis.Clinical and vaccine immunology : CVI · 2013Article
- Syphilis.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2007Review
- Application of a noninvasive oral fluid test for detection of treponemal IgG in a predominantly HIV-infected population.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2006Article
- Syphilis in adults.Sexually transmitted infections · 2005Review
- Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network laboratory guidelines for the use of direct tests to detect syphilis in Canada.The Canadian journal of infectious diseases & medical microbiology = Journal canadien des maladies infectieuses et de la microbiologie medicaleArticle
- Molecular methods in the laboratory diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections.Indian journal of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDSReview
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesTo evaluate the use of dark ground microscopy (DGM) and treponemal serological tests in the diagnosis of primary (PS) and secondary (SS) syphilis.
methodsA retrospective case note review of patients with early syphilis who attended our department between January 2001 and December 2002. Data were collected on demographics, results of treponemal serology and DGM.
results50 individuals had PS and 36 individuals had SS. DGM was performed in 31/50 (62%) of PS cases and this was positive in 97%. In 17 (34%) cases of PS, treponemal EIA was negative initially. DGM was performed on 13 of these, all of which were positive. Therefore, EIA had a sensitivity of 57% when compared to DGM. In 27 patients where EIA-IgM was performed, this was positive in 22 (81%), of which 12 were EIA negative on initial screening. All SS cases had positive EIA. DGM was performed in 19/36 (52%) of SS cases and was positive in 16/19--that is, a sensitivity of 84% when compared to EIA. The major reason why DGM was not performed in the cases of PS was that herpes was the presumed diagnosis and in SS the rash was attributed to other causes.
conclusionsDGM is a rapid and sensitive test while EIA takes time for results and is less sensitive in PS. EIA-IgM is a useful adjunct in PS. DGM allows immediate diagnosis, treatment, and partner notification preventing further transmission. Genitourinary medicine clinics should have trained staff to perform DGM on all anogenital ulcers and suspected syphilitic lesions.
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