[The microhemagglutination reaction for the routine serologic diagnosis of syphilis]

The authors present the results of VDRL reactions (qualitative and quantitative) and microhaemagglutination assays (MIPHA) on 305 serum samples. The samples selected among the sera asked for syphilis serology at a clinical laboratory, were those which the results on VDRL reactions were observed to be reactive at low titles, not reactive or inconclusive. From these 305 samples, 87 (28.5 por 100) were also processed by the FTA-Abs test. The reactivity concordance between the tests was compared and the efficiency of the MIPHA as confirmatory diagnostic test was discussed. The conclusions prompt to the usefulness of the MIPHA on syphilis serodiagnosis routine as a function of its sensitivity, specificity, low costs and technical simplicity.