The role of the spirochaete in the Wassermann reaction

Abstract

1. The examination of 1100 sera by both the Wassermann reaction and the complement-fixation test with spirochaetes revealed a superior sensitivity of the latter reaction and practically equal specificity of the two tests.2. Syphilitic serum contains two different antibodies: one reacting with the lipoid antigen of the Wassermann reaction, the other with a specific antigen in the spirochaete.3. The spirochaetal antibody of syphilitic serum has a complex serological structure, corresponding to spirochaete strains of different antigenic make-up.4. The existence of this antibody and its specific absorption by the homologous antigen can also be demonstrated by agglutination.5. The difference between agglutinin titres found in normal and syphilitic sera is not pronounced enough to render this method satisfactory for the practical diagnosis of syphilis.6. The spirochaete contains, apart from its specific antigen, the ubiquitous lipoid substance representing the Wassermann antigen.7. A fraction was obtained from spirochaetes by Raistrick and Topley's method which in complement-fixation and precipitation tests reacted actively with spirochaete antisera from rabbits, but which so far failed to react with syphilitic sera.This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. I wish to thank Prof. Golla, Director of the Central Pathological Laboratory, L.C.C. Mental Hospitals, who rendered this work possible, and Dr Arthur Davies, Director of the Devonport Laboratory, for the hospitality afforded me at his laboratory and for the patients’ sera used in this work. I am indebted to Prof. R. T. Hewlett for his revision of the manuscript, to Prof. Raistrick for advice in chemical matters, and to Dr Amies, of the Lister Institute, for his help with the Sharples centrifuge.

On the Presence in Syphilitic Serum of Antibodies to Spirochetes, Their Relation to So Called Wassermann Reagin, and Their Significance for the Serodiagnosis of Syphilis

“…In general, antibodies which give complement fixation in the presence of a specific antigen also cause the aggregation of that antigen (bacterial agglutination; protein precipitation). In this case also, as recently shown by Beck (34) and confirmed in this laboratory, syphilitic serum agglutinates the Reiter strain of cultured spirochetes (Table I, which gives as example the results in 9 sera out of approximately 100 tested). It is to be noted holic extracts of beef heart used in the Wassermann test continue to react with syphilitic serum.…”

“…From time to time, various investigators have reported that syphilitic serum contains antibodies to spirochetes. Thus, syphilitic serum has been reported to agglutinate suspensions of cultured spirochetes in higher titres than do normal sera (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)34). Similarly, several investigators have reported that syphilitic human sera give complement fixation with suspensions or extracts of cultured spirochetes (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18).…”

Comparison of Results given by a Complement-Fixation Test for Syphilis using the Reiter Treponeme as Antigen with the Treponemal Immobilization Test

“…Beck (1939) compared the reactivity of three cultivable strains (Reiter 36, Kazan II, and Kr6o) and a strain of mouth spirochaetes with syphilitic and normal sera, and showed that the Kazan and Reiter strains were the most sensitive, while the Reiter strain was the most specific, giving only 0 6 per cent. of reactions which were considered to be non-specific.…”

Role of Treponema Reiter in Modern Serology of Syphilis

“…carateum (pinta), cuniculi (rabbit), microdentium (normal oral cavity), genitale (from human genitalia), calligyrum (from smegma), and mucosum (which is reported as having pyogenic properties). This classification appears contradictory-at least to a certain extent-according to the results obtained by Gaehtgens (1929Gaehtgens ( , 1937, Beck (1939), Koch (1940, and Eagle and Hogan (1940) in absorption and complement-fixation tests. Thus it would seem improbable that antigens of the saprophytic Sp.…”

“…According to about forty papers published between 1929 and 1949 in Germany and abroad, * Received for publication July 6, 1956. including Beck (1939) in England, Eagle and Hogan (1940) in the U.S. A., andMuster (1942) andLauber (1949) in Switzerland, the test was regarded as specific. The rate of biologic false positives was about 1 per cent.…”