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Updated: May 20, 2026
Procedures for In Vitro Cultivation of Treponema pallidum, the Syphilis Spirochete
Published on: January 24, 2025
Protocol for the detection of Treponema pallidum in paraffin-embedded specimens
1Laboratory Reference and Research Branch, Division of STD Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and Tuberculosis Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. cychen@cdc.gov
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Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks are routinely used for histopathological examination and are also useful for specific pathogen detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). FFPE tissue is stable at ambient temperature for an extended period of time and relatively easy to transport compared to fresh tissue, which has to be processed or frozen immediately. In addition, archival material is an invaluable source for retrospective molecular and clinical investigation. This chapter describes detailed procedures for nucleic acid extraction and PCR detection of Treponema pallidum using FFPE tissue.
