Elecsys^® Syphilis

Syphilis is caused by the intracellular Gram-negative spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. There are an estimated 6 million new syphilis cases each year, worldwide in person aged 15-49 years. In addition, over 300,000 fetal and neonatal deaths are attributed to syphilis, and 215,000 infants are at increased risk of early death.¹

Most people with syphilis are asymptomatic, but if untreated the infection can cause significant complications.² Although syphilis is usually transmitted sexually, it can also be transmitted from mother to fetus with an estimated 1.5 million pregnancies affected globally each year.^3,4 However, if diagnosed in the early stages, syphilis can be successfully treated and congenital syphilis prevented.^2,3

Finally, syphilis can be transmitted through blood transfusions.⁴ Serologic tests like the Elecsys^® Syphilis assay are the method of choice for the reliable detection of total antibodies against Treponema pallidum in blood donations and clinical routine samples.⁵

General representation of the reverse and traditional syphilis testing algorithms

ECLIA, electrochemiluminescence immunoassay; EIA, enyzme immunoassay; RPR, rapid plasma reagin; TPLA, Treponema pallidum latex agglutination; VDRL, Veneral Disease Reasearch Laboratory test, Adapted from Binnicker (2012)⁵ and Katz (2010)⁶

The Mediace^® Syphilis Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR2; 07 404 174 190) assay for the quantitative in vitro determination of syphilitic anti-lipid antibodies⁷ and the T. pallidum Latex Agglutination® (TPLA2; 07 404 182 190) assay for the in vitro determination of anti-T. pallidum antibodies⁸ are both available from Roche Diagnostics.