ArticleBMC infectious diseases2012
A longitudinal evaluation of Treponema pallidum PCR testing in early syphilis.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 34 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
34 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 79 citations in OpenAlex.
- Improved rapid diagnostic tests to detect syphilis and yaws: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Sexually transmitted infections · 2022Pooled it
- Comparison of Diagnostic Accuracy of PCR Targeting the 47-Kilodalton Protein Membrane Gene of Treponema pallidum and PCR Targeting the DNA Polymerase I Gene: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Journal of clinical microbiology · 2015Pooled it
- Detection of Treponema pallidum tpp47 DNA in clinical samples of syphilis patients.European journal of medical research · 2025Article
- The Proportion ofOpen forum infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Infectious Proctitis Mimicking Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Case Report and Update on the Differential Diagnosis of Rectal Ulcerations.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Forensic Microbiology: Challenges in Detecting Sexually Transmitted Infections.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) for the Diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Review.Microbial biotechnology · 2025Review
- Syphilis Point-of-Care Tests (POCTs): Implementation Considerations in Canada.Journal of the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada = Journal officiel de l'Association pour la microbiologie medicale et l'infectiologie Canada · 2024Review
- Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assay Using Gold Nanoparticles for DetectingDiagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Tracking Chlamydia and Syphilis in the Detroit Metro Area by Molecular Analysis of Environmental Samples.Environmental science & technology · 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
- Unilateral tonsillitis due to primary syphilis with gram-negative corkscrew-like spirochaetes confirmed by Gram stain of pus.BMJ case reports · 2024Article
- Treponema pallidum Detection at Asymptomatic Oral, Anal, and Vaginal Sites in Adults Reporting Sexual Contact with Persons with Syphilis.Emerging infectious diseases · 2023Article
- Refining Timely Diagnosis of Early Syphilis by Using Treponema pallidum PCR or IgM Immunoblotting Next to Conventional Serology for Syphilis.Journal of clinical microbiology · 2023Article
- Detection of Treponema pallidum DNA During Early Syphilis Stages in Peripheral Blood, Oropharynx, Ano-Rectum and Urine as a Proxy for Transmissibility.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2022Article
- High frequency of Nichols-like strains and increased levels of macrolide resistance in Treponema pallidum in clinical samples from Buenos Aires, Argentina.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- Predicting asymptomatic neurosyphilis using peripheral blood indicators.BMC infectious diseases · 2021Article
- Use of a Multiplex PCR Assay To Assess the Presence of Treponema pallidum in Mucocutaneous Ulcerations in Patients with Suspected Syphilis.Journal of clinical microbiology · 2021Article
- Comparative Analysis of Molecular and Serologic Testing for Primary Syphilis: A Population-Based Cohort Study.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2021Article
- Clinical manifestations and outcomes of ocular syphilis in Asian Indian population: Analysis of cases presenting to a tertiary referral center.Indian journal of ophthalmology · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSyphilis is a growing public health problem among men who have sex with men (MSM) globally. Rapid and accurate detection of syphilis is vital to ensure patients and their contacts receive timely treatment and reduce ongoing transmission.
methodsWe evaluated a PCR assay for the diagnosis of Treponema pallidum using swabs of suspected early syphilis lesions in longitudinally assessed MSM.
resultsWe tested 260 MSM for T pallidum by PCR on 288 occasions: 77 (26.7%) had early syphilis that was serologically confirmed at baseline or within six weeks, and 211 (73.3%) remained seronegative for syphilis. Of 55 men with primary syphilis, 49 were PCR positive, giving a sensitivity of 89.1% (95% CI: 77.8%-95.9%) and a specificity of 99.1% (95% CI: 96.5%-99.9%). Of 22 men with secondary syphilis, 11 were PCR positive, giving a sensitivity of 50% (95% CI: 28.2%-71.8%) and a specificity of 100% (95% CI: 66.4%-71.8%). Of the 77 syphilis cases, 43 (56%) were HIV positive and the sensitivity and specificity of the PCR test did not vary by HIV status. The PCR test was able to detect up to five (10%) primary infections that were initially seronegative, including one HIV positive man with delayed seroconversion to syphilis (72 to 140 days) and one HIV positive man who did not seroconvert to syphilis over 14 months follow-up. Both men had been treated for syphilis within a week of the PCR test.
conclusionsT pallidum PCR is a potentially powerful tool for the early diagnosis of primary syphilis, particularly where a serological response has yet to develop.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.