An Exploratory Study of Host Plasma Proteomic Signatures that Distinguish Secondary and Early Latent Syphilis in Adults.

Syphilis diagnostics struggle to distinguish active from treated disease. Using tandem-mass-tag proteomics on plasma from 10 secondary and early latent syphilis cases and 8 matched controls, we identified 54 differentially regulated proteins categorized under several biological pathways. Those exploratory findings support proteomics as a tool for developing novel syphilis diagnostics.