German bacteriologist whose discovery of a universal blood-serum test (1906) for #syphilis helped…
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German bacteriologist whose discovery of a universal blood-serum test (1906) for #syphilis helped extend the basic tenets of #immunology to diagnosis. "The #WassermannReaction," in combination with other diagnostic procedures, is still employed as a reliable indicator for the disease. A positive reaction when the blood or spinal fluid of the patient is tested indicates the presence of #antibodies formed as a result of #infection with syphilis (even though symptoms of the disease may not be observable at the time). A few other diseases, however (such as leprosy), also sometimes produce a positive Wassermann reaction. In addition, he developed inoculations against cholera, typhoid, and tetanus. He was a student of bacteriologist #RobertKoch.
