Evaluation of the nontreponemal IgM antibodies in syphilis serofast patients: A new serologic marker for active syphilis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Serofast status is challenging to interpret in clinical work, and distinguishing active syphilis in serofast patients can provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment. However, effective serologic markers for active syphilis are still lacking.

OBJECTIVES:

We aimed to explore the possibility of nontreponemal IgM antibodies in distinguishing active syphilis in serofast patients.

METHODS:

A total of 1501 clinical serum samples were collected from 301 serofast patients, and nontreponemal IgM antibodies were detected by chemiluminescence immunoassay.

RESULTS:

The results showed that a total of 29 samples (9.63%) of 301 serofast patients were positive for nontreponemal IgM antibodies, and our limited follow-up data showed that 66.67% (2/3) of the serofast patients progressed to neurosyphilis and cardiovascular syphilis.

CONCLUSION:

These findings demonstrate that most serofast patients with positive nontreponemal IgM antibodies have evidence of progressive syphilis, and nontreponemal IgM antibodies can be used as a new serologic marker for the activity of syphilis. Nontreponemal IgM antibodies may play a role in the management of serofast patients.

• Authors: Ya-Wen Zheng, Hong Chen, Xu Shen, Yong Lin, Li-Rong Lin
• Journal: Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry (Clin Chim Acta) Vol. 523 Pg. 196-200 (Dec 2021) ISSN: 1873-3492 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 34592307 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Bacterial
• Biomarkers
• Immunoglobulin M

Topics

• Antibodies, Bacterial
• Biomarkers
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin M
• Neurosyphilis
• Syphilis (diagnosis)
• Syphilis Serodiagnosis
• Treponema pallidum