Treponemal Survival in Humans after Penicillin Therapy

Abstract

Collart, Borel, and Durel (1962a, b) reported research indicating the possible persistence of Treponema pallida in a group of humans and a group of rabbits after adequate treatment of late syphilis. They suggested that the presence of possibly attenuated organisms causes the persistence of im- mobilisins. Because of the important implications of this report and because a specific stain for Treponema pallidum in tissue had recently been developed in our laboratory (Yobs, Brown, and Hunter, 1964), further study of treated late syphilis in humans was undertaken.