Prevalence and Predictors of Oral Treponema pallidum Detection by Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction in Early Syphilis.

T. pallidum DNA was directly detected at oral and lesion sites in a significant proportion of men with early syphilis. Younger age was associated with oral shedding. Ease of oral specimen collection and increased PCR availability suggest opportunities to improve syphilis diagnostic testing. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT03637660.