An update on the proteomic and molecular diagnosis and treatment of syphilis; A blood-transmitted disease

Document Type : Reviews

Author

Department of Medical Analysis, Princess Aisha Bint Al-Hussein College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Ma`an, Jordan.

Abstract

Syphilis is a stimulating and disconcerting infection with diverse clinical symptoms and challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Its causative agent, Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum), is difficult to study due to its inability to be cultured or genetically modified. This study reviews recent advancements in molecular techniques that clarify the infection's biology, improve diagnostic tools, and assess treatment effectiveness with alternative antibiotics. In the past decade, research has expanded our understanding of syphilis pathogenesis, particularly the host immune response to T. pallidum. A key focus is its ability to evade immune responses, which hinders vaccine development. Antigenic variation in the TprK protein complicates vaccine progress, but ongoing studies are exploring conserved antigen regions for potential solutions. 

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