Reactions of extracts of Reiter treponeme with syphilitic and non-syphilitic human sera in the single radial haemolysis technique.

A single radial haemolysis (SRH) technique, using Reiter protein or Reiter lysate as the coating antigen, was investigated. Results obtained with syphilitic and presumed non-syphilitic human sera were compared with results obtained in the absorbed fluorescent treponemal antibody test (FTA-ABS), the Reiter protein complement fixation test ( RPCFT ), the Venereal Diseases Research Laboratory Slide test (VDRL) and the Cardiolipin Wasserman reaction ( CWR ). The SRH reaction, with either Reiter antigen, was more sensitive than any of the screening tests ( RPCFT , VDRL and CWR ) for detecting positive syphilitic antibodies. Although the SRH test used almost the same materials as the RPCFT , it was appreciably more sensitive for the detection of the group-specific antibodies in syphilitic human serum.