Role of Treponema Reiter in Modern Serology of Syphilis

Abstract

A history of the Reiter treponeme is presented, pointing out that it was first isolated by Wassermann and Ficker in 1922 from a syphilitic chancre in a human being and remained virulent for rabbits after a series of subcultures for a limited period of time. Research during the past ten years has indicated that the Reiter treponeme consists of three different antigens, a thermolabile protein antigen, a thermostable polysaccharide antigen and a lipid antigen which is similar to that found in the usual antigens. In parallel testing of the Treponema pallidum immobilization (TPI) test, the Reiter antigen and lipoidal antigens in 511 patients, using TPI as a base line, Reiter antigen gave only 0.75% biologic false positive reactions, whereas the lipoidal antigens gave 6.65%.