Abstract | BACKGROUND:
DNA from many pathogens can be detected in saliva. However, the presence and quantity of Treponema pallidum DNA in patients with syphilis in saliva is unknown. METHODS: 234 patients with syphilis with different stages and 30 volunteers were enrolled. Paired saliva and plasma samples were collected from all participants. Consecutive saliva samples from 9 patients were collected every 4 hours following treatment. Treponema pallidum DNA in samples was determined by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and droplet digital PCR targeting polA and Tpp47. RESULTS: Treponema pallidum DNA detection rates in saliva and plasma were 31.0% (9/29) and 51.7% (15/29) in primary syphilis (P = .11), 87.5% (63/72) and 61.1% (44/72) in secondary syphilis (P < .001), 25.6% (21/82) and 8.5% (7/82) in latent syphilis (P = .004), and 21.6% (11/51) and 5.9% (3/51) in symptomatic neurosyphilis (P = .021), respectively. Median (range) loads of Tpp47 and polA in saliva were 627 (0-101 200) and 726 (0-117 260) copies/mL, respectively, for patients with syphilis. In plasma, however, loads of Tpp47 and polA were low: medians (range) of 0 (0-149.6) and 0 (0-176) copies/mL, respectively. Loads of T. pallidum DNA in saliva during treatment fluctuated downward; the clearance time was positively correlated with the loads of T. pallidum DNA before treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Collection of saliva is noninvasive and convenient. The high loads of T. pallidum DNA in saliva and reduction after treatment indicated that saliva can be not only a diagnostic fluid for syphilis but also an indicator of therapeutic effectiveness.
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Authors | Cuini Wang, Zhixiang Hu, Xin Zheng, Meiping Ye, Chunjie Liao, Mengya Shang, Weiming Gong, Zhifang Guan, Haikong Lu, Xin Gu, Mei Shi, Pingyu Zhou |
Journal | Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
(Clin Infect Dis)
Vol. 73
Issue 9
Pg. e3250-e3258
(11 02 2021)
ISSN: 1537-6591 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 33099614
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Copyright | © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. |
Chemical References |
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Topics |
- DNA, Bacterial
(genetics)
- Humans
- Neurosyphilis
- Saliva
- Syphilis
(diagnosis)
- Syphilis, Latent
- Treponema pallidum
(genetics)
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