The Treponema Pallidum Haemagglutination Test(tpha) For the Specific Sero-diagnosis of Syphilis

Abstract

The TPHA test for syphilis was carried out on 1700 sera and the results compared with those of FTA-ABS test in sensitivity and specificity and seemed to have confirmed the reports of previous workers. The test could be done quantitatively and was found to have good reproduci- bility. Nficro-haemagglutination technique seemed to be of great advantage as small quan-tities of reagents could be used and 100 sera run qualitatively at one testing. A clinico- serological survey conducted in a small hamlet in Kolli Hills in Salem District, Tamilnadu revealed that 40% of the hill tribes were reactive to VDRL and FFA-ABS tests and 41 % to TPHA tesl Majority of them had no symptomatic syphilis though anoccasional patient presented himself with hyperkeratosis or leucomelanoderma of palms. Attempts were made to prepare T?HA antigen at the Institute Laboratory and standardize it so that T?HA could be established as simple, specific, sero-diagnostic test for syphilis in laboratories all over India. However, intensive research is indicated to improve the quality of antigen before this goal is reached.