ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors discuss the association of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) with a variety of infectious diseases, from the very old syphilis, to the very new human immunodeficiency virus infection. They also discuss epidemiological, clinical, and immunopathological aspects of antiphospholipid antibody production in infectious diseases. In patients with autoimmune diseases, especially systemic lupus erythematosus and primary antiphospholipid syndrome, the presence of aPL measured by the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test, lupus anticoagulant, and anticardiolipin assay has been associated with thromboembolic complications that are seldom seen in syphilis. Biological false positive reactions for syphilis have been known to be present in the sera of patients suffering from infections caused by bacteria and related microorganisms for many years. Isolated individual studies have looked for anticardiolipin antibodies in infections caused by rickettsiae, and spirochaetes other than Treponema pallidum.
