A method for determining whether a sample comprises nucleic acids of T. pallidum, the method comprising the steps of: (a) contacting the sample with an oligonucleotide primer set comprising a first primer and a second primer, wherein the first primer is up to 50 bases in length and comprises a target-hybridizing sequence at the 3' terminus of the first primer consisting of SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7 or SEQ ID NO:8, and wherein the second primer is up to 50 bases in length and comprises a target-hybridizing sequence at the 3' terminus of the second primer consisting of SEQ ID NO: 16, SEQ ID NO: 17 or SEQ ID NO: 18; and wherein at least one of the first and second primers includes a phage promoter sequence attached upstream of the target-hybridizing sequence; and (b) amplifying any nucleic acids of T. pallidum that may be present in the sample using the set of primers in an in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction, whereby an amplification product is produced if the sample comprises nucleic acids of T. pallidum, (c) detecting any of the amplification product produced in step (b) using a detectably labeled oligonucleotide hybridization probe comprising: a target-hybridizing sequence of at least 13 contiguous bases of SEQ ID NO: 19 or the complement thereof, allowing for substitution of RNA and DNA equivalent bases; and a detectable label, wherein the oligonucleotide hybridization probe is up to 47 bases in length; and (d) determining from the result of step (c) whether the amplification product was produced in step (b) as an indication whether the sample comprises nucleic acids of T. pallidum. (a) contacting the sample with an oligonucleotide primer set comprising a first primer and a second primer, wherein the first primer is up to 50 bases in length and comprises a target-hybridizing sequence at the 3' terminus of the first primer consisting of SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7 or SEQ ID NO:8, and wherein the second primer is up to 50 bases in length and comprises a target-hybridizing sequence at the 3' terminus of the second primer consisting of SEQ ID NO: 16, SEQ ID NO: 17 or SEQ ID NO: 18; and wherein at least one of the first and second primers includes a phage promoter sequence attached upstream of the target-hybridizing sequence; and wherein the first primer is up to 50 bases in length and comprises a target-hybridizing sequence at the 3' terminus of the first primer consisting of SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7 or SEQ ID NO:8, and wherein the second primer is up to 50 bases in length and comprises a target-hybridizing sequence at the 3' terminus of the second primer consisting of SEQ ID NO: 16, SEQ ID NO: 17 or SEQ ID NO: 18; and wherein at least one of the first and second primers includes a phage promoter sequence attached upstream of the target-hybridizing sequence; and (b) amplifying any nucleic acids of T. pallidum that may be present in the sample using the set of primers in an in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction, whereby an amplification product is produced if the sample comprises nucleic acids of T. pallidum, (c) detecting any of the amplification product produced in step (b) using a detectably labeled oligonucleotide hybridization probe comprising: a target-hybridizing sequence of at least 13 contiguous bases of SEQ ID NO: 19 or the complement thereof, allowing for substitution of RNA and DNA equivalent bases; and a detectable label, wherein the oligonucleotide hybridization probe is up to 47 bases in length; and a target-hybridizing sequence of at least 13 contiguous bases of SEQ ID NO: 19 or the complement thereof, allowing for substitution of RNA and DNA equivalent bases; and a detectable label, wherein the oligonucleotide hybridization probe is up to 47 bases in length; and (d) determining from the result of step (c) whether the amplification product was produced in step (b) as an indication whether the sample comprises nucleic acids of T. pallidum.