Seroreactivity in 130 cases of primary syphilis was 91.5% by fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test, 82.3% by microhemagglutination (MHA-TP test), and 68.5% by the Venereal Disease Reseach Laboratory (VDRL) test. The MHA TP test generally became reactive earlier than the VDRL test and confirmed all reactive and most weakly reactive VDRL results.

One serum and three plasma samples were obtained from each of 125 normal individuals and from 140 patients with treated or untreated syphilis. Serum samples were tested by the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test and by the Reagin Screen Test (RST). Plasma specimens were tested only with the RST. When tested within 24 h after collection, all specimens from normal individuals were nonreactive. Plasma specimens from normal individuals stored for up to 72 h after collection continued to yield a clearly nonreactive result in 423 of the 426 samples tested by the RST. Serum and plasma samples from syphilis patients tested within 72 h after collection by the RST yielded qualitative and quantitative results almost identical to results of serum tested by the VDRL test.

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A total of 1,020 serum and plasma specimens were tested using the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL), Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) card, Reagin Screen (RST) and Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-Absorption (FTA-ABS) tests. In 257 normal patients, all screening tests were nonreactive; the FTA-ABS test was reactive for one patient. In 588 patients with treated and untreated syphilis, the RST results were 91.7% in agreement with the VDRL and RPR results. In 175 patients with diseases that cause biological false reactions, the RST was 94% in agreement with the other screening tests. The titer of the RST was within one dilution of the corresponding VDRL titer in 91.7% of the 360 speciments tested and within one dilution of the RPR titer in 96.9% of 358 specimens quantitated by both tests.

A group of 765 females attending a Planned Parenthood Clinic was screened for gonorrhea by inoculating Thayer-Martin plates and Transgrow bottles with specimens from the cervix. Blood was obtained at the same time and tested for anti-gonococcal antibody by using the Gonosticon Dri Dot test. In this low-incidence group, 18 positive cultures were detected by culture on Thayer-Martin plates, whereas Transgrow detected only 15 positive cultures. Of the 18 patients with gonorrhea, 11-exhibited reactive serum (agglutination of the latex particles). In the total population, 64% of the patients had nonreactive serum (no agglutination) and negative cultures; 25% had reactive serum and negative cultures. When this latter group was subdivided on the basis of race, blacks and Latin Americans were found to have a higher incidence of reactive serum with a corresponding negative culture than was found in whites. Patients who were originally culture positive and nonreactive in the Gonosticon Test were retested; three out of four patients retested within 6 to 11 days after the initial screening had converted to a positive Gonosticon test.