Amplification of the DNA polymerase I gene of Treponema pallidum from whole blood of persons with syphilis

Previous reports suggest that Treponema pallidum bacteremia occurs in perso ns with syphilis exposure ('incubating syphilis') and in persons with prima ry or secondary syphilis. During a recent syphilis outbreak, whole blood sa mples from 32 persons with suspected syphilis or syphilis exposure were scr eened using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the DNA polymerase I gene (polA) of T. pallidum. Of the 32 samples, polA was amplified from 13 (41%). Of these 13, three were determined to have incubating syphilis; two had primary or secondary syphilis and eight had latent syphilis. This study demonstrates that spirochetemia can occur throughout the course of T. pall idum infection. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.