Comparison of screening tests and confirmatory tests of fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test and Western blotting in the elderly

Objective: To compare the results by screening tests and confirmatory tests,and to evaluate the methods of detecting Treponema pallidum in the elderly.Methods: The positive samples detected by screening tests with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and syphilis toluidine red untreated serum test were respectively confirmed by treponema pallidum particle agglutination(TPPA),fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test(FTA-ABS) and Western blotting(WB),and then the results were analyzed statistically.Results: Seventy-two of the 76 samples were detected positive by TPPA in screening tests(94.7%,72/76).Of the 72 positive samples by TPPA,71 were simultaneously confirmed by FTA-ABS and WB assays(98.6%,71/72).Conclusions: The positive samples of Treponema pallidum detected by screening tests in the elderly must be confirmed by TPPA assay and even by FTA-ABS and WB assays if needed.