wassermann test
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Definition
Noun: A specific medical blood test historically used to diagnose syphilis. It is a type of complement fixation test that detects antibodies to the bacterium Treponema pallidum, which causes syphilis. A positive result indicates the presence of these antibodies and, therefore, a syphilis infection.
Usage
The term is used to refer to the diagnostic procedure itself or its result. It is named after the German bacteriologist August von Wassermann. - The doctor ordered a Wassermann test to confirm the suspected syphilis infection. - A positive Wassermann test requires immediate antibiotic treatment.
Advanced Usage
- While historically significant, the term "Wassermann test" is now largely of historical and technical interest. Modern, more specific and sensitive tests (like the RPR, VDRL, or FTA-ABS) have largely replaced it in clinical practice.
- It may appear in historical medical texts or discussions about the history of medicine and diagnostics.
Variants and Related Words
- Wassermann reaction: Often used synonymously with "Wassermann test" to describe the specific immunological reaction detected.
- Serological test for syphilis (STS): A broader modern category that includes the Wassermann test and its successors.
- Complement fixation test: The general type of immunological assay to which the Wassermann test belongs.
Synonyms
- Syphilis blood test (general term)
- Serologic test for syphilis (modern general term)
Notes
The Wassermann test is not a phrasal verb or idiom. It is a fixed compound noun referring to a specific medical diagnostic procedure.
Noun
- a blood test to detect syphilis; a complement fixation test is used to detect antibodies to the syphilis organism treponema; a positive reaction indicates the presence of antibodies and therefore syphilis infection