Wassermann test
Blood serology diagnosis
A Wassermann test is a blood test formerly used to detect syphilis, named after the German bacteriologist August von Wassermann who developed it in 1906.
The test detects antibodies produced in response to syphilis infection.
Though largely replaced by more accurate methods, it remains historically significant as one of the first reliable diagnostic tests for the disease: The doctor ordered a Wassermann test before the wedding.
Extracted bodily fluid for analysis
- serologyStudy of blood antibodies
- serumBlood's watery portion
- screeningEvaluative selection process
- false positiveIncorrect presence indication
false negative · sensitivity · specificity · titer · flocculation · reagent · laboratory · pathology
Painless sexually-transmitted ulcer
- congenital syphilisTreponema infection from mother
- tertiary syphilisAdvanced treponema pallidum damage
- tabes dorsalisSyphilitic spinal cord degeneration
- venereal diseaseSexually transmitted infection
sexually transmitted · penicillin · VDRL test · darkfield microscopy · titer · spirochete
Early twentieth century year
- obsoleteNo longer in use
- replacedRemoved and substituted
- early detectionFinding something at onset
- public healthCommunity-level disease prevention
prenatal screening · epidemiology · disease control · medical history
blood sample
Extracted bodily fluid for analysis
false positive · false negative · sensitivity · specificity · titer · flocculation · reagent · laboratory · pathology · diagnosis
chancre
Painless sexually-transmitted ulcer
- congenital syphilisTreponema infection from mother
- tertiary syphilisAdvanced treponema pallidum damage
- tabes dorsalisSyphilitic spinal cord degeneration
venereal disease · sexually transmitted · penicillin · VDRL test · darkfield microscopy · titer · spirochete
1906
Early twentieth century year
- obsoleteNo longer in use
- replacedRemoved and substituted
- early detectionFinding something at onset
public health · prenatal screening · epidemiology · disease control · medical history
- old medicinebloodletting, leeches, leech therapy, leeching, cupping
- immunoassaysantigen test, lateral flow test, EIA, VDRL test, neutralization
- syphilissyphilis, Treponema pallidum, tertiary syphilis, congenital syphilis, chancre
- serologyserum, antibody, antigen, titer, seropositive
Wassermann testbacterial culture
Cultivated microorganism population
darkfield microscopy · tissue culture · PCR testing · PCR · tissue biopsy