Bs. Reisner et al., USE OF THE TREPONEMA-PALLIDUM SPECIFIC CAPTIA SYPHILIS IGG ASSAY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RAPID PLASMA REAGIN TO TEST FOR SYPHILIS, Journal of clinical microbiology, 35(5), 1997, pp. 1141-1143
The Captia Syphilis IgG enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was evaluated for use
in conjunction with the rapid plasma reagin test (RPR) as a method to
test for syphilis. A total of 1,288 serum specimens were tested by th
e routine laboratory protocol of the RPR followed by microhemagluttina
tion assay for Treponema pallidum (MHA-TP) testing of RPR-reactive ser
a as well as the EIA-RPR protocol in which the automated ELA followed
by a manual RPR test for EIA-positive specimens is used. When using th
e routine protocol, 131 specimens were initially reactive by the RPR,
and 113 of these were reactive by MHA-TP, When using the EIA RPR proto
col, 170 specimens were initially positive by EIA, and of these, 112 w
ere RPR reactive, indicating active disease, When compared to the rout
ine protocol, the ELA-RPR protocol had sensitivity, specificity, and p
ositive and negative predictive values of 96.5, 99.7, 97.3, and 99.7%,
respectively. After resolution of discrepancies by additional testing
, the adjusted sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative pre
dictive values were 100, 99.8, 98.3, and 100%, respectively. This eval
uation demonstrates that when used in conjunction with the RPR, the Ca
ptia Syphilis EIA is a reliable method by which to test for syphilis.