FTA-ABS Test
Abstract
To the Editor.—
We believe that the data presented by Burns in his report on the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS) test (234:617, 1975) do not support his conclusions.
First, Burns' use of the FTA-ABS test to screen healthy persons for syphilis was an improper application of the test and may have led to meaningless conclusions. When any diagnostic test is applied to a low-prevalence disease population, such as presumed healthy persons, the ratio of...