Syphilis

Question 1

characterized by the appearance of a painless sore called a chancre.

Answer 1

Primary Syphilis

Question 2

transmission of the spirochete Treponema pallidum from the mother to the fetus, resulting in premature birth.

Answer 2

Conginetal Syphilis

Question 3

involves a rash, fever, sore throat, and other symptoms.

Answer 3

Secondary Syphilis

Question 4

most severe stage, causing damage to organs such as the heart, brain, and nerves.

Answer 4

Tertiary Syphilis

Question 5

divided into early (within a year of infection) and late (more than a year after infection) stages, with no symptoms present.

Answer 5

Latent

Question 6

an infection involving the central nervous system (CNS) and, can occur at any time after infection.

Answer 6

Neurosyphilis

Question 7

Causative agent of Syphilis

Answer 7

Treponema pallidum

Question 8

Family of T. pallidum

Answer 8

Spirochaetaceae

Question 9

Mode of transmission for Syphilis:

Answer 9

1. Direct contact (sexual contact)
2. Across the placenta
3. Body fluids

Question 10

Initial lesion is a painless, nonbleeding ulcer

Answer 10

Chancre

Question 11

includes skin rashes, low-grade fever, malaise, weight loss, arthralgia, and lymphadenopathy.

Answer 11

Secondary Syphilis

Question 12

formed by coalescence or large, pale, flat – topped papules. Occurs in warm, moist areas such as the perianal area and are highly infectious. Trademark of secondary syphilis.

Answer 12

Condyloma lata

Question 13

existing but not yet developed

Answer 13

Latent Phase

Question 14

Can cause blindness and sensitivity

Answer 14

Neurosyphilis

Question 15

most common complication of late syphilis. May be single or multiple, They are ordinarily indolent, slowly progressive, and indurated granulomata, with central healing and atrophic scar surrounded by hyperpigmented borders.

Answer 15

Gummas

Question 16

syphilis lesion due to hypersensitivity reaction to treponemal antigens

Answer 16

Gummas

Question 17

presents in the neonate as diffuse maculopapular desquamatous rash (particularly around the mouth and on the palms and soles), hemolytic anemia, jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, abnormal cartilage and bone involvement, and mental retardation.

Answer 17

Conginetal Syphilis

Question 18

Definitive diagnosis of syphilis is made by:

Answer 18

Detection of T. pallidum in:
1. CSF
2. Umbilical cord
3. Skin
4. Mucous membrane lesions

Question 19

A fluorescence labeled antibody is used to detect T. pallidum in lesions.

Answer 19

Direct fluoresent antibody-T pallidum (DFA TP)

Question 20

T. Pallidum is detected using

Answer 20

Darkfield microscopy and silver stains

Question 21

Treponema pallidum infection causes the host to produce:

Answer 21

Nonspecific antibody
Reagin
Specific treponemal antibodies

Question 22

detect reagin and are only used for screening

Answer 22

Nontreponemal antigen test

Question 23

Disadvantage of nontreponemal antigen test

Answer 23

Cause false positive because the antibody can cross react with other diseases or conditions like pregnancy

Question 24

percentage of false positives in nontreponemal antigen test is

Answer 24

30%

Question 25

Examples of nontreponemal antigen tests

Answer 25

1. Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL),
2. Unheated serum reagin (USR),
3. Rapid plasma reagin (RPR) assays.

Question 26

Treponemal antigen tests use

Answer 26

T pallidum cells as the antigen source

Question 27

Highly specific

Answer 27

Treponemal antigen tests

Question 28

Treponemal antigen tests include:

Answer 28

1. Fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS)
2. T. pallidum particulate agglutination (TP-PA)
3. Microhemagglutination T. pallidum tests.

Question 29

measure the antibody (reagin) a patient has formed against cardiolipin, cholesterol, and lecithin and is read microscopically for flocculation

Answer 29

VDRL TEST (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory Test)

Question 30

The VDRL test is positive _________ after the chancre or other lesions appears.

Answer 30

1-3 weeks

Question 31

The only serologic test approved for testing CSF

Answer 31

VDRL TEST

Question 32

This is a modified VDRL test in which choline-chloride EDTA is added to the VDRL antigen, and the addition of this compound allows serum that has not been heat inactivated to be tested

Answer 32

USR TEST (Unheated Serum Reagin)

Question 33

Difference between Coagulation and Flocculation

Answer 33

§ Coagulation – a chemical process, thus no techniques needed for mixing. Often a salt breakdown to release charges.
§ Flocculation – a physical process, thus needs a techniques for mixing. Often times a polymer induces the settling of the particles.

Question 34

Macroscopic flocculation and uses VDRL antigen with charcoal particles.

Answer 34

RPR TEST (Rapid Plasma Reagin)

Question 35

Charcoal is trapped in the folcculation reaction

Answer 35

RPR

Question 36

Can be semi-qualitative or qualitative

Answer 36

RPR

Question 37

Treponemal antigen is combined with liposomes.

Answer 37

TP-PA TEST (T. pallidum Particulate Agglutination)

Question 38

If the antibodies are present, a mat of agglutination forms in wells of a microtiter plate.

Answer 38

TP PA

Question 39

Principle of FTA-ABS

Answer 39

Indirect Antibody test

Question 40

_______________ of T. pallidum subsp. Pallidum is affixed into wells if microscope slides.

Answer 40

Nichol’s stains

Question 41

In FTA-ABS, patient serum is _______________

Answer 41

Heat inactivated

Question 42

Nontreponemal antibody is absorbed from patient serum with absorbent of _____________ of nonpathogenic treponeme.

Answer 42

Reiter’s strain