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Previous Volume 332:1169-1171 April 27, 1995 Number 17 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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To the Editor: The reports by Gordon et al. and Horowitz et al. (Dec. 1 issue)^1,2 appropriately question the effectiveness of high-dose penicillin as a treatment for syphilis in persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, these reports do not prove that such treatment is ineffective. The polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) tests used do not necessarily indicate the presence of replicating organisms. In addition, an immunologic marker, especially a nonspecific one such as the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) or rapid plasma reagin titer, cannot be relied on to indicate successful treatment in persons who are immunologically dysfunctional. Patients with . . . [Full Text of this Article]

References

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• Branger, S., Casalta, J. P., Habib, G., Collard, F., Raoult, D. (2003). Streptococcus pneumoniae Endocarditis: Persistence of DNA on Heart Valve Material 7 Years after Infectious Episode. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 4435-4437 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wicher, K., Abbruscato, F., Wicher, V., Collins, D. N., Auger, I., Horowitz, H. W. (1998). Identification of Persistent Infection in Experimental Syphilis by PCR. Infect. Immun. 66: 2509-2513 [Abstract] [Full Text]