Comparative Evaluation of Commercial Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-absorbed Test Kits

Overview

Journal J Clin Microbiol

Specialty Microbiology

Date 1984 Jun 1

PMID 6381521

Authors

J L Beebe

N J Nouri

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We describe a comparative evaluation of commercial fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorbed test kits, using 150 selected patient sera. The ability of the test kits to detect reactive sera varied from 82.5 to 95%; that for nonreactive sera varied from 80.9 to 96.4%. Reproducibility of reactive and nonreactive results, measured by between-assay and within-assay studies, averaged 42%. The results showed substantial variation in performance characteristics among the kits, with important clinical implications for the diagnosis of syphilis. We recommend the development of an immunological standard for use in the manufacture of fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorbed test kits, with the goal of obtaining uniform performance characteristics among commercial test kits.

References

Knox J, SHORT D, WENDE R, Glicksman J . The FTA-ABS test for syphilis. Performance in 1,033 patients. Br J Vener Dis. 1966; 42(1):16-20. PMC: 1047767. DOI: 10.1136/sti.42.1.16. View

HUNTER E, DEACON W, Meyer P . AN IMPROVED FTA TEST FOR SYPHILIS, THE ABSORPTION PROCEDURE (FTA-ABS). Public Health Rep (1896). 1964; 79:410-2. PMC: 1915432. View

DEACON W, LUCAS J, PRICE E . Fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS) test for syphilis. JAMA. 1966; 198(6):624-8. View

Tuffanelli D, Wuepper K, Bradford L, Wood R . Fluorescent treponemal-antibody absorption tests. Studies of false-positive reactions to tests for syphilis. N Engl J Med. 1967; 276(5):258-62. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM196702022760503. View

HEBERT G, Pittman B, CHERRY W . Factors affecting the degree of nonspecific staining given by fluorescein isothiocyanate labelled globulins. J Immunol. 1967; 98(6):1204-12. View

Wilkinson A, Ferguson H . Some observations on the sorbing agent used in the absorbed fluorescent treponemal antibody (FTA-ABS) test. Br J Vener Dis. 1968; 44(4):291-4. PMC: 1048420. DOI: 10.1136/sti.44.4.291. View

RATHLEV T . Evaluation of the sorbents used in the FTA-ABS test. Br J Vener Dis. 1968; 44(4):295-8. PMC: 1048421. DOI: 10.1136/sti.44.4.295. View

MACKEY D, PRICE E, Knox J, Scotti A . Specificity of the FTA-ABS test for syphilis. JAMA. 1969; 207(9):1683-5. View

CHERRY W, McKinney R, Emmel V, SPILLANE J, Herbert G, Pittman B . Evaluation of commercial fluorescein isothiocyanates used in fluorescent antibody studies. Stain Technol. 1969; 44(4):179-86. DOI: 10.3109/10520296909063347. View

10.

Cohen P, Stout G, Ende N . Serologic reactivity in consecutive patients admitted to a general hospital. A comparison of the FTA-ABS, VDRL, and automated reagin tests. Arch Intern Med. 1969; 124(3):364-7. View

11.

Kraus S, HASERICK J, Lantz M . Atypical FTA-ABS test fluorescence in lupus erythematosus patients. JAMA. 1970; 211(13):2140-1. View

12.

Kraus S, HASERICK J, Lantz M . Fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test reactions in lupus erythematosus. N Engl J Med. 1970; 282(23):1287-90. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM197006042822303. View

13.

BUCHANAN C, HASERICK J . FTA-ABS test in pregnancy. A probable false-positive reaction. Arch Dermatol. 1970; 102(3):322-5. View

14.

Goldman J, Lantz M . FTA-ABS and VDRL slide test reactivity in a population of nuns. JAMA. 1971; 217(1):53-5. View

15.

Kraus S, HASERICK J, Logan L, BULLARD J . Atypical fluorescence in the fluorescent treponemal-antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS) test related to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) antibodies. J Immunol. 1971; 106(6):1665-9. View

16.

HARDY P, NELL E . Characteristics of fluorescein labelled antiglobulin preparations that may affect the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test. Am J Clin Pathol. 1971; 56(2):181-6. DOI: 10.1093/ajcp/56.2.181. View

17.

HARDY Jr P, NELL E . A study of the properties of sorbent, the reagent employed in the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test. Am J Epidemiol. 1972; 96(2):141-52. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a121440. View

18.

HUNTER E, Smith J, Lewis J, McGrew B, Schmale J . Immunochemical parameters of some commercial conjugates for the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test. Infect Immun. 1972; 5(6):858-62. PMC: 422453. DOI: 10.1128/iai.5.6.858-862.1972. View

19.

Monson R . Biologic false-positive FTA-ABS test in drug-induced lupus erythematosus. JAMA. 1973; 224(7):1028-30. View

20.

Feitelson P, Junkin A . A false-positive FTA-ABS test in a heroin addict. Calif Med. 1973; 119(2):73-4. PMC: 1455098. View