BIOLOGIC FALSE POSITIVE SEROLOGIC TESTS FOR SYPHILIS

Abstract

Earlier papers of this series have drawn attention to the occurrence of biologic false positive serologic reactions for syphilis in normal persons 1 and in those with diseases or conditions other than syphilis. 2 For normal persons it has been estimated, 3 on the basis of serologic surveys of large groups of presumably normal white American university students of both sexes, that the incidence of biologic false positive reactions in this particular population group is probably less than 1 in 4,000. As to diseases and conditions which may produce biologic false positive reactions, it has been further pointed out that their probable frequency is known, on the basis of published studies, only in yaws (100 per cent), leprosy (from 40 to 80 per cent), malaria (100 per cent at some time during the infection) and infectious mononucleosis (about 20 per cent). In diseases or conditions other than these no estimates