Danielle Schwartz

Danielle Schwartz

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

17Years (2010-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 February 2010 in Cognitive and Behavioral Practice
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
THTrevor A. Hart
Trevor A. Hart
DSDanielle Schwartz
Danielle Schwartz

17 November 2024 in Pathogens
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
DSDanielle Schwartz
Danielle Schwartz
ATAlena Tse-Chang
Alena Tse-Chang
JRJoan Louise Robinson
Joan Louise Robinson
JGJennifer Gratrix
Jennifer Gratrix
PSPetra Smyczek
Petra Smyczek
MHMichael T. Hawkes
Michael T. Hawkes
Congenital syphilis is a re-emerging infectious threat in areas of North America. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively describe the rate of decline of nontreponemal (rapid plasma reagin, RPR) titers in pregnant persons with syphilis and their infants. In a retrospective review, we included 120 pregnant persons with 563 reactive RPR measurements (median 5, range 2 to 11 per person) and 35 infants with 81 RPR measurements (median 2, range 2 to 6 per infant). First-order decay, second-order decay, and a mathematical model representing functional FcRn-mediated antibody recycling were fitted to individual patient RPR trajectories. The RPR titers decreased with a median half-life of 39 days (IQR 28–59) and 27 days (IQR 17–41) in birthing parents and infants, respectively. The half-life varied with the initial RPR titer, suggesting that the kinetics of RPR decline was not first-order. A mathematical model accounting for saturable antibody recycling explained the longevity of RPR reactivity, predicted the observed non-linear kinetics, and fit the empiric data well. In summary, RPR titers decline with a half-life of roughly one month; however, the elimination does not follow first-order kinetics. Saturable antibody recycling may explain the prolonged and non-linear elimination of nontreponemal antibodies.