Syphilis, which is caused by Treponema pallidum, is a chronic bacterial infection that remains a public health concern worldwide. Serologic testing is the method most often used, as the bacterium cannot be cultured. Syphilis serological tests are divided into nontreponemal and treponemal tests, and neither is sufficient alone for diagnosis, as each type of test has limitations, including the po...

The effectiveness of three serologic assays (two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays [ELISAs] and latex agglutination) for cytomegalovirus (CMV) serologic matching of donors and recipients was assessed over a 2-year period in a major organ transplant program. Sera with equivocal test results were investigated by repeat testing of serum samples and additional specimens from the individuals involv...

OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence of prior tuberculin skin testing (TST) among populations at risk for HIV infection in Tijuana, Mexico, and to identify factors associated with TST. METHODS Sex workers, injection drug users, noninjecting drug users, and homeless persons > 18 years old were recruited by using targeted sampling for risk assessment interviews and serologic testing for HIV and M...

The prevalence of canine H3N8 influenza and human H1N1 and H3N2 influenza in dogs in Ohio was estimated by conducting serologic tests on 1,082 canine serum samples. In addition, risk factors, such as health status and age were examined. The prevalences of human H1N1, H3N2, and canine H3N8 influenzas were 4.0%, 2.4%, and 2.3%, respectively. Two samples were seropositive for two subtypes (H1N1 an...

CONTEXT Celiac disease susceptibility has been shown to be associated with the HLA alleles DQA1*0501 and DQB1*0201 (together encoding the DQ2 heterodimer) that are present in practically all celiac disease patients. The DQ8 heterodimer (coded by DQA1*03-DQB1*0302), which is carried on a DRB1*04 (DR4) haplotype, is commonly encoded for by the few celiacs who do not carry the DQ2 heterodimer. Onl...

Objective. The aim of the study was to describe echocardiographic abnormalities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, concurrent systemic comorbidities, rheumatologic clinical activity, serologic markers of rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory activity. Methods. In an observational, cross-sectional study, rheumatoid arthritis outpatients were included (n = 105). Conventional transthoracic ec...

An epidemiologic study was done of five Ribeirão Preto women whose pregnancies ended in fetal death from syphilis at the University Hospital of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, São Paulo, in 1991. The study sought to establish the epidemiologic profiles of these women, determine the prenatal care they had received, assess the risk factors involved, and propose strategies for controlling syphi...

Creation of a reliable and easy to use serologic test would greatly improve ante mortem diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium and aid in the control of avian mycobacteriosis, particularly in captive birds. In order to determine whether serodiagnostics could be of value in testing ring-neck doves (Streptopelia risoria) for M. a. avium infection, Western blot analysis was used to assess t...