Need for New Tools for Syphilis Diagnosis and Management.

The article explores a new specimen for syphilis diagnosis: evidence of high loads of Treponema pallidum DNA in saliva" , describes the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of Treponema pallidum in blood and saliva specimens collected prior to treatment in patients with syphilis. The paper serves to validate and expand prior observations by Golden et al describing detection of T. pallidum in pharyngeal swab specimens.