Deck 17: Syphilis

Question 1

If an RPR assay is negative but has a rough appearance, what is an appropriate follow-up step?

A)Report as a negative assay result.
B)Repeat the assay.
C)Repeat the assay with serial dilutions.
D)Request a new blood specimen for repeat testing.

Answer 1

Repeat the assay with serial dilutions.

Question 2

Direct examination of treponemes is most often done by ______________ microscopy.

A)unstained, high-power, *43 resolution
B)unstained, oil immersion resolution
C)phase contrast
D)darkfield

Answer 2

darkfield

Question 3

Treponemes may remain viable for ______________ in tissue specimens from diseased animals.

A)1 day
B)3 days
C)5 days
D)up to 30 days

Answer 3

5 days

Question 4

The nontreponemal antibody produced by syphilis-infected patients can also be produced by patients with

A)other infectious diseases.
B)leprosy, tuberculosis, leptospirosis, or malaria.
C)autoimmune disorders, drug addiction, or old age.
D)All of the above.

Question 5

Match the stages of syphilis with the appropriate signs and symptoms. (Use each answer only once.)
Spirochetemia

A)Diagnosis only by serologic methods
B)Presence of gummas
C)Development of a chancre
D)Generalized illness followed by macular lesions in most patients
E)Very early in infection, even before the first lesions

Question 6

Match the stages of syphilis with the appropriate signs and symptoms. (Use each answer only once.)
Primary syphilis

A)Diagnosis only by serologic methods
B)Presence of gummas
C)Development of a chancre
D)Generalized illness followed by macular lesions in most patients
E)Very early in infection, even before the first lesions

Question 7

Match the stages of syphilis with the appropriate signs and symptoms. (Use each answer only once.)
Secondary syphilis

A)Diagnosis only by serologic methods
B)Presence of gummas
C)Development of a chancre
D)Generalized illness followed by macular lesions in most patients
E)Very early in infection, even before the first lesions

Question 8

Untreated congenital syphilis can lead to:

A)stillbirth.
B)neonatal death.
C)infant disorders.
D)All of the above.

Question 9

The type of antigen used in the RPR card procedure is

A)carbon particle cardiolipin.
B)tanned sheep erythrocytes.
C)sensitized latex particles.
D)sensitized charcoal particles.

Question 10

Syphilis develops in which percentage of the sexual partners of persons with syphilitic lesions?

A)10% to 25%
B)25% to 40%
C)30% to 50%
D)50% to 75%

Question 11

Syphilis reverse sequence testing algorithms utilize

A)differential growth media followed by general support growth media for culturing.
B)nontreponemal testing followed by treponemal testing to confirm reactive results.
C)general support media followed by differential growth media for culturing.
D)treponemal testing followed by nontreponemal testing to confirm reactive results.

Question 12

The term for nontreponemal antibodies produced by syphilis-infected patients against components of their own or other mammalian cells is

A)autoagglutinins.
B)reagin antibodies.
C)alloantibodies.
D)nonsyphilis antibodies.

Question 13

Before clinical or serologic manifestations, the incubation period for syphilis usually lasts

A)3 to 7 days.
B)7 to 10 days.
C)about 3 weeks.
D)about 6 weeks.

Question 14

In infected donor blood, Treponema pallidum does not appear to survive in citrated blood stored at 4° C for more than ____ days(s).

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)5

Question 15

Tertiary syphilis is best evaluated by using

A)cerebrospinal fluid.
B)serum.
C)urine.
D)joint fluid.

Question 16

A biological false-positive reaction is least likely to occur with which syphilis assay?

A)RPR
B)MHA-TP
C)FTA-ABS
D)Both B and C.

Question 17

Match the diseases caused by bacteria closely related to Treponema pallidum with the appropriate description.
Bejel

A)Common in the Caribbean, Latin America, Central Africa, and Far East
B)Found only in Latin America; infection limited to the skin
C)Found in eastern Mediterranean countries, the Balkans, and the cooler areas of North Africa

Question 18

Match the diseases caused by bacteria closely related to Treponema pallidum with the appropriate description.
Yaws

A)Common in the Caribbean, Latin America, Central Africa, and Far East
B)Found only in Latin America; infection limited to the skin
C)Found in eastern Mediterranean countries, the Balkans, and the cooler areas of North Africa

Question 19

Match the diseases caused by bacteria closely related to Treponema pallidum with the appropriate description.
Pinta

A)Common in the Caribbean, Latin America, Central Africa, and Far East
B)Found only in Latin America; infection limited to the skin
C)Found in eastern Mediterranean countries, the Balkans, and the cooler areas of North Africa

Question 20

The substance detected by the RPR assay is

A)T. pallidum.
B)a cardiolipin.
C)a reagin.
D)None of the above.

Question 21

Match the tests with the correct method used for each.
MHA-TP test

A)Treponemal method
B)Nontreponemal method

Question 22

Pathogenic treponemes are cultivatable in artificial laboratory media.

Question 23

Match the stages of syphilis with the appropriate signs and symptoms. (Use each answer only once.)
Late (tertiary) syphilis

A)Diagnosis only by serologic methods
B)Presence of gummas
C)Development of a chancre
D)Generalized illness followed by macular lesions in most patients
E)Very early in infection, even before the first lesions

Question 24

Match the tests with the correct method used for each.
RPR test

A)Treponemal method
B)Nontreponemal method

Question 25

Match the stages of syphilis with the appropriate signs and symptoms. (Use each answer only once.)
Latent syphilis

A)Diagnosis only by serologic methods
B)Presence of gummas
C)Development of a chancre
D)Generalized illness followed by macular lesions in most patients
E)Very early in infection, even before the first lesions

Question 26

Match the tests with the correct method used for each.
FTA-ABS test

A)Treponemal method
B)Nontreponemal method