IMMOBILIZATION OF TREPONEMA PALLIDUM IN VITRO BY ANTIBODY PRODUCED IN SYPHILITIC INFECTION

Abstract

Treponema pallida were extracted from rabbit testicular syphilomas and suspended in a special medium in which the organisms remain motile and infectious for several days. On incubation of such suspensions with syphilitic rabbit or human sera and guinea pig complement, the treponemes became non-motile and lost their capacity to infect rabbits. Various factors affecting this immobilization have been investigated.