A comparison of the absorbed fluorescent treponemal antibody (FTA-ABS) test and other screening tests for treponemal disease in patients attending a venereal disease clinic

Screening tests—absorbed fluorescent treponemal (FTA-ABS), the Reiter protein complement-fixation (RPCFT), VDRL slide test, automated reagin—and cardiolipin Wassermann reaction—were carried out on 1922 consecutive new patients attending the Whitechapel Clinic over a three-month period. Taking the FTA-ABS test results as an index, the most efficient combination of conventional tests was found to be the RPCFT and automated reagin test. The cardiolipin WR proved to be under-sensitive and of little value compared with the other tests. Forty-two per cent of the 107 sera reactive in the FTA-ABS test were not detected by the RPCFT or ART tests. An assessment based on the TPI test results and clinical findings in these patients is presented. The scope and limitations of the FTA-ABS test as a screening procedure are discussed.

[1]  A. Wilkinson,et al.  The role of sorbent in the absorbed fluorescent treponemal antibody (FTA-ABS) test. , 1971, Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine.

[2]  J. Haserick,et al.  FTA-ABS test in pregnancy. A probable false-positive reaction. , 1971, Archives of dermatology.

[3]  P O'Neill,et al.  Evaluation of a modified FTA-ABS test multispot FTA-ABS. , 1970, The British journal of venereal diseases.

[4]  J. Haserick,et al.  Fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test reactions in lupus erythematosus. , 1970, The New England journal of medicine.

[5]  N. Ende,et al.  Serologic reactivity in consecutive patients admitted to a general hospital. A comparison of the FTA-ABS, VDRL, and automated reagin tests. , 1969, Archives of internal medicine.

[6]  T. Rathlev.  Evaluation of the sorbents used in the FTA-ABS test. , 1968, The British journal of venereal diseases.

[7]  A. Wilkinson,et al.  Some observations on the sorbing agent used in the absorbed fluorescent treponemal antibody (FTA-ABS) test. , 1968, The British journal of venereal diseases.

[8]  V. Falcone,et al.  Automation of a flocculation test for syphilis. , 1968, American journal of clinical pathology.

[9]  A. W. Hanson,et al.  An investigation of sorbing substances in the FTA-ABS test for syphilis. , 1968, Public health reports.

[10]  L. C. Norins,et al.  The TPI and FTA-ABS tests in treated late syphilis. , 1968, JAMA.

[11]  L. C. Norins,et al.  Technic for the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS) test. , 1968, Health laboratory science.

[12]  E. F. Hunter,et al.  AN IMPROVED FTA TEST FOR SYPHILIS, THE ABSORPTION PROCEDURE (FTA-ABS). , 1964, Public health reports.