serologic test for syphilis
The definitions used in this glossary of terminology either have been provided by the authors of the articles, or have been extracted wholly or in part, or paraphrased from the following sources: The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, Charles B. Clayman, MD, Medical Editor, Random House, New York, 1989; Biotechnology from A to Z, 2d Edition, William Bains, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2002; A Dictionary of Genetics, 6th Edition, Robert C. King and William D. Stansfield, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2002; Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 29th and 30th Editions, W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, 2000, 2003; Genes VII, Benjamin Lewin, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2000; The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders, Volumes I and II, Stacey L. Blachford, Ed., Thomson Learning, New York, New York, 2002; The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Inc., Springfield, Massachusetts, 1997; Molecular Biology of the Cell, 3rd Edition, Bruce Alberts, et al., Garland Publishing, 1994; The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged Edition, 1966; Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1991.
DEFINITION:
- serologic test for syphilis
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Any test for serum antibodies indicative of Treponema pallidum infection. There are two types: nontreponemal antigen tests detect antibodies to substance (reagin) derived from host tissues, now known to consist of the phospholipids cardiolipin and lecithin; they originated with the Wassermann test and are now represented by the VDRL and RPR (rapid plasma reagin) tests. Treponemal antigen tests detect specific antitreponemal antibodies; they originated with the TPI (T. pallidum immobilization) test and are now represented by the DFA-TP (direct fluorescent antibody–T. pallidum) test, the FTA-ABS (fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption) test, the MHA-TP (microhemagglutination assay–T. pallidum), and assays using ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) methods. The term "serologic tests for syphilis" is occasionally used with reference only to nontreponemal antigen tests. Abbreviated STS.
Used in 6 Term definitions
Used in 6 Term definitions