Syphilis in Swaziland: a serological survey

Sera from 536 adults and children in Swaziland were examined for their reactivity in the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and Treponema pallidum haemagglutination (TPHA) tests. None of 130 sera from children was reactive in either test; 8.6% of sera from 185 healthy adults were reactive in the RPR test and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of venereal diseases 1981-04, Vol.57 (2), p.95-99
Main Authors: Ursi, J P, van Dyck, E, van Houtte, C, Piot, P, Colaert, J, Dlamini, M, Meheus, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Child
Female
Hemagglutination Tests
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Reagins - analysis
Swaziland
Syphilis - epidemiology
Syphilis Serodiagnosis
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Summary:Sera from 536 adults and children in Swaziland were examined for their reactivity in the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and Treponema pallidum haemagglutination (TPHA) tests. None of 130 sera from children was reactive in either test; 8.6% of sera from 185 healthy adults were reactive in the RPR test and 33% in the TPHA test; 24.5% of 220 sera from patients with genital ulcers were RPR-positive and 45.9% TPHA-positive. The RPR positivity rates were not related to age, but the percentage of RPR-negative, TPHA-positive sera increased with age in both the healthy adults and the patients with genital ulcers. Thus venereal syphilis appears to be responsible for these high positivity rates. Estimates of the yearly incidence of syphilis are identical for both groups--approximately 1.4%, an unusually high figure.
ISSN:0007-134X
1368-4973
1472-3263
DOI:10.1136/sti.57.2.95