This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kasatiya, S. S. Articles by Laurence, R. A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Kasatiya, S. S. Articles by Laurence, R. A. Agricola Articles by Kasatiya, S. S. Articles by Laurence, R. A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1974 May; 27(5): 838-843
Copyright © 1974 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Use of Tunable, Pulsed Dye Laser for Quantitative Fluorescence in Syphilis Serology (FTA-ABS Test)

^a Service des Laboratoires, Ministère des Affaires Sociales du Québec, Laval des Rapides, Province of Quebec, Canada

ABSTRACT

A pulsed dye laser was used as an excitation source in a fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) test. A high precision in quantitative fluorescence was obtained with this high-power excitation source coupled to an electronic detection system and a storage oscilloscope by standardization of fluorescence evaluation and through elimination of human error. One 0.4-µs pulse exposure was sufficient to record fluorescence intensity data on the oscilloscope. Absence of fading of fluorescence after repeated excitation permitted multiple readings of the same microscope field. Almost 100% reproducible results were obtained for the FTA-ABS test with 40 samples. Electronic detection of fluorescence and the high sensitivity obtained with laser excitation raise doubts about the relative value of quantitative immunofluorescence in the FTA-ABS test.

¹ Visiting professor, I.N.R.S., University of Quebec.