Detection of Treponema pallidum in tissue: a comparative study of the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex, indirect immunoperoxidase, FTA-ABS complement techniques and the darkfield method.
10.3349/ymj.1991.32.4.335
- Author:
Won Soo LEE
1
;
Min Geol LEE
;
Kee Yang CHUNG
;
Jung Bock LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Comparative Study
- Keywords:
Treponema pallidum;
immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescent techniques;
darkfield;
tissue
- MeSH:
Avidin/diagnostic use;
Biotin/diagnostic use;
Comparative Study;
Fluorescent Antibody Technique;
Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-Absorption Test;
Human;
Immunoenzyme Techniques;
Treponema pallidum/*isolation & purification
- From:Yonsei Medical Journal
1991;32(4):335-341
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
With 37 formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded specimens from the lesions of 30 patients with primary, secondary or gastric syphilis, we performed avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC), indirect immunoperoxidase (IIP) and FTA-ABS complement techniques. Darkfield examination was done in 17 skin lesions. The immunoperoxidase technique, especially the ABC technique, revealed higher reactivity than the FTA-ABS complement technique and darkfield examination in detecting Treponema pallidum in tissues. Furthermore, the ABC technique produced less intense nonspecific background staining than the IIP technique. Histologically, most of the treponemes were located in the upper dermis, epidermis and vessel walls in the order named, and rarely in the lower dermis of the syphilitic skin lesions.
