Detection of antibodies to T. pallidum in the test kit Vitrotest® Anti-Treponema is based on a solid phase, indirect ELISA in a two-step incubation procedure.
○ ТК063 – 192 tests
- Solid phase: breakable microplate ELISA is coated with recombinant Treponema pallidum antigens.
- Conjugate: monoclonal antibodies to human IgG and IgM conjugated to horseradish peroxidase.
- Chromogen: ready to use TMB solution.
- Volume of sample for analysis: 20 μl.
- Assay time: 1h 15 min.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. Syphilis develops in four successive stages, primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary. The primary ulcer at entry site (“primary chancre”, 10-90 days postinfection), is followed by spread of the treponemes to the regional lymph nodes and haematogenous dissemination to other parts of the body. The ulcer is classically indurated and painless. While the local immunity leads to ulcer healing in approximately 3-6 weeks, systemic dissemination results in intense immune response to the deposited treponemes, leading to secondary syphilis soon after healing of primary chancre. Rash is the presenting complaint in majority of patients with secondary syphilis, and it is found on physical examination in more than 90% of patients. Rash frequently covers palms and soles, it is usually maculopapular and never vesicular. Other symptoms include fever, sore throat, malaise, headache, and lymphadenopathy. Neurological symptoms (meningitis, ocular complaints), although more characteristic for tertiary syphilis, could arise already at secondary stage. Secondary syphilis resolves without treatment, followed by latent stage. Latent stage is asymptomatic, the bacteria remain dormant and are undetected by traditional methods in blood and issues. Tertiary syphilis represents an activation of dormant infection, occuring in about one-third of affected individuals several decades after primary infection. Tertiary syphilis can affect multiple organ systems, including brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints, and is often fatal. Symptoms of tertiary syphilis vary depending on the organ system affected.
The fundamental histological changes at all stages are vasculitis and its consequences, necrosis and fibrosis.
Syphilis could be transmitted:
1) by direct contact of skin/mucosa with infective treponema-rich ulcers;
2) vertically from infected mother to her unborn child;
3) by blood sharing.
The main routes of transmission are sexual and congenital. Sexual transmission occurs by inoculation of bacteria into tiny abrasions resulting from sexual trauma. Minor routes of transmission are by blood transfusion, by needle sharing, and by fomites among medical personnel .
Persons with syphilis are infective for sexual transmission only during primary and secondary stage. On the contrary, women with syphilis could transmit the disease congenitally also during the latent stage.
T. pallidum gains access to the fetal compartment as early as 9–10 weeks after conception. Pregnancy in women with syphilis could result in spontaneous abortion, newborn death, and congenital syphilis. For women with syphilis, the probability of delivering a healthy infant is only 1/3.