The pattern of immunological responses at various stages of syphilis

Abstract

Each of 212 sera, taken from 129 patients with clinically established syphilis, was subjected to seven immunological tests. The tests were designed to detect both anti-lipoidal and anti-treponemal antibodies and to titrate antibody of both IgG and IgM molecular species. It was found that patients of similar clinical history were usually recognisable by the similarity of results obtained in the seven tests, and a progression of these patterns of results was also found in samples of serum taken from individual patients during the course of their disease. It is suggested that this more comprehensive type of serological examination of patients can provide valuable information to the clinician.