Detection of Treponema pallidum by polymerase chain reaction in the cerebrospinal fluid of syphilis patients.
10.3349/ymj.1994.35.2.190
- Author:
Kee Yang CHUNG
1
;
Min Geol LEE
;
Jung Bock LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
PCR;
Treponema pallidum;
CSF
- MeSH:
Cerebrospinal Fluid/*microbiology;
DNA, Bacterial/analysis;
Human;
Neurosyphilis/cerebrospinal fluid/*microbiology;
Polymerase Chain Reaction;
Sensitivity and Specificity;
Support, Non-U.S. Gov't;
Treponema pallidum/genetics/*isolation & purification
- From:Yonsei Medical Journal
1994;35(2):190-197
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
To find out if polymerase chain reaction could be used as a diagnostic tool for detecting neurosyphilis, we have applied the PCR for the detection of Treponema pallidum DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of syphilis patients. The results of the PCR of the CSF in 26 patients with at various stages of illness were compared with the results of other conventional tests used in the WHO criteria. T. pallidum was detected in the CSF of patients at all stages of syphilis, which indicates that they invade the central nervous system from the early stages of infection. However, the presence of T. pallidum in the CSF was not correlated with the results of other tests used in the WHO criteria, and its significance in the diagnosis of neurosyphilis should further be evaluated.
