Serological tests for treponemal infection in leprosy patients. An evaluation of the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA--ABS) test.

Psoriasiform Lesions on Trunk and Palms

“…An infectious disease consult can be of great help. Common causes of biologic false-positives for specific and nonspecific tests include autoimmune diseases (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and polyarteritis nodosa), malaria leprosy (especially lepromatous), typhus, viral respiratory tract infections, infectious mononucleosis, active pulmonary tuberculosis, hepatitis, subacute bacterial endocarditis, measles, chickenpox, filariasis, trypanosomiasis, leptospirosis, relapsing fever, Lyme borreliosis, pregnancy, old age, and narcotic addiction (9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). Newer diagnostic tests, which include enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or polymerase chain reaction technology, are being developed (18).…”