Systemic diseases

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

In the primary and early secondary stages, the spirochaete may be demonstrated in serum from the chancre, condylomata or mucous patches. The serological tests for syphilis (Wassermann and Kahn reactions) become positive from about the fourth week of the health disease onwards and are invariably very strongly positive by the end of the third month. These tests are very reliable, though it must be borne in mind that occasional false positive tests may be found temporarily in other systemic diseases such as glandular fever and negative tests may be observed in a considerable number of cases in the late stages of syphilis.