SEROLOGIC DIAGNOSIS OF SYPHILIS; USE OF THE TREPONEMA PALLIDUM IMMOBILIZATION (TPI) TEST AND THE FLUORESCENT TREPONEMAL ANTIBODY (FTA) TEST.

Comparative data from four different laboratories on the TPI and FTA tests on VDRL-reactive sera from patients with no symptoms of syphilis showed agreement of results of the FTA test with those obtained with the TPI test (the reference test) varying from 71 per cent to 112 per cent. The FTA test is complex and requires additional research before its use as a routine public health laboratory procedure can be recommended. The TPI test appears to be unequivocally the test of choice for the diagnosis of late and latent syphilis.