[Syphilis antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid and their diagnostic significance (author's transl)].

Serum and CNS fluid from 45 patients was tested to provide serum/CNS fluid ratios for IgG, albumin and TPHA titre, as well as protein ratios after Delpech and Lichtblau. Local production of specific antibody in the CNS was demonstrated in 10 of 11 patients with a clinical diagnosis of active neurosyphilis. In 16 patients with questionably active neurosyphilis there were only seven with findings supporting the diagnosis of neursyphilis. Local formation of syphilis antibodies was not demonstrated in any of 18 patients without evidence of CNS syphilis. These findings indicate that demonstration of CNS production of immunoglobulins and confirmation of their treponema specificity provide a further means of serodiagnosis of neurosyphilis.