[Evaluation of non-treponemal VDRL and RPRC reactions]

The non-treponemal reactions VDRL and RPRC for the serological diagnosis of syphilis were compared in serum samples having low-titer antibodies and/or antibody dissociations. The analysis of the serological results obtained by performing non-treponemal (VDRL, RPRC) and treponemal (FTA-5, FTA-ABS) tests indicates the best choice of reactions for the serology of lues, which may be summarized as follows: a) The VDRL is the most sensitive and specific test of the non-treponemal reactions which employ cardiolipin antigen. b) A screening serology of syphilis, performed by associating two selected tests (VDRL, FTA-5), demonstrates more positive cases than the use of only one test. c) The serological identification of the antibodies present in luetic sera, obtained by associating selected treponemal and non-treponemal tests (VDRL, FTA-5, FTA-ABS, CF-ATPS) enables us to correlate the serological data with the main biological phases of lues, even during the periods of clinical latency of the disease.