Diagnosis of a T. pallidum infection remains an onerous affair for clinicians, because the present techniques don't look for the presence of the syfilis bacteria in the patient's body but for the presence of antibodies against the bacteria in the blood. These indirect tests are based on a method that was introduced over one hundred years ago.

Kara researched the use of mass spectometry on blood samples to directly detect the syfilis bacteria. She investigated whether the proteines in the blood could be used as biomarkers. Diagnostic tests could then focus on the presence of these biomarkers to determine whether the patient is infected with syfilis. The results turned out to be negative, so a second avenue of investigation was pursued. This time, mass spectometry was performed on urine samples. During the initial tests, proteines were indeed detected.

Because this second method shows promise, a follow up study will further explore the possibilities, with the aim of developing new and faster tests. These new tests would not only lighten the workload of clinicians, they would also benefit syfilis prevention, because the results would be available quicker. It would mean that patients, and their partners, are informed of their status sooner. 

Link

• The study: Contemporary syphilis epidemics: efforts to improve syphilis diagnostics