Frambesia
Frambesia is an infectious disease occuring in the warm humid tropics. Also known as Yaws, Frambesia is caused by spirochete bacteria. It manifests with characteristic bumps on the skin of the face, hands, feet and genital area. Later it may lead to bone and joint inflammation and destroy cartilage in the nose and palate. The disease also spreads through contact with infected skin and insect bites.
Almost all cases of yaws are in children under 15 years of age. This bacteria enters through scraped or cuts in skin. Yaws appears as bumps on the skin which might be pus-filled. They begin with a mother yaw and later spread into daughter yaws. Kids are more likely to catch this infection. Tests for frambesia include blood serum test. Antibiotics such as penicillin are used to treat frambesia.
Syphilis Test FTA-ABS
Treponema pallidum, the bacterium which causes syphilis has four subspecies:
Treponema pallidum pallidum, which causes syphilis
T. pallidum endemicum, which causes bejel or endemic syphilis
T. pallidum carateum, which causes pinta
T. pallidum pertenue, which causes yaws
To detect antibodies to Treponema pallidum, the FTA-ABS (Fluorescent treponemal antibody absorbed), a blood serum screening test is done. This is sometimes also referred to as syphilis Immunofluorescent Assay (IFA). The FTA-ABS test is a second test to confirm the presence of the infection and is usually done after the RPR test and VDRL test results are positive. FTA-ABS test is used to detect syphilis infection at any stage except during the first 3 to 4 weeks after exposure and in tertiary stages of the disease. The test is more reliable for the secondary stage of syphilis. The test is done on a sample of blood or spinal fluid. A positive FTA-ABS usually indicates infection with syphilis and a negative or nonreactive result means there is no current or past infection with syphilis. The test requires no prior preparation on the part of the individual who is to be tested.
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