Very rarely, you may develop an infection or inflammation of the vein as a result of the VDRL test. Your doctor may recommend this test if you: Have signs and symptoms of syphilis Are pregnant Are treated for another sexually transmitted infection such as gonorrhea Have engaged in high-risk sexual activity Are affected by HIV Have already treated for syphilis What Are the Symptoms of Syphilis?
The primary symptoms of syphilis include: A small, painless sore A skin rash that does not itch Swelling in the lymph nodes near the sore The secondary symptoms of syphilis include: A red or reddish-brown non-itchy rash that spreads to the entire body including the soles of the feet and palms of the hands Sore throat Patchy hair loss Muscle aches and headaches Weight loss Fever Genital, oral, and anal wart-like sores Fatigue The tertiary symptoms of syphilis include: Damage to the blood vessels, joints, heart, bones, and liver Gummas or soft tissue swellings How Is the Test Performed?
Understanding the Results of Your VDRL Test If your blood sample test shows negative, then your blood does not contain syphilis antibodies, and you are not infected with the bacteria.
False-positive results are possible if you have: Tuberculosis HIV Lyme disease Systemic lupus erythematosus Malaria Certain types of pneumonia Used IV drug The syphilis antibodies can stay in your body even after you have been treated for the disease and in such cases, you may get false-positive test results.
You may experience slight discomforts such as: Mild pain when drawing blood Minor bruising or bleeding after drawing blood Very rarely, you may develop an infection or inflammation of the vein as a result of the VDRL test. Call Us Now. The accuracy of testing often depends on the stage of syphilis. Testing may need to be repeated if:. Kiley MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology. Author: Healthwise Staff.
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Updated visitor guidelines. You are here Home » Syphilis Tests. Top of the page. Test Overview Syphilis tests tell if a person has this disease. Testing is done on blood, body fluid, or tissue samples. The VDRL test checks blood or spinal fluid for an antibody that can be produced in people who have syphilis. This antibody is not produced as a reaction to syphilis specifically, so the test result could be "abnormal" for reasons other than syphilis.
Rapid plasma reagin RPR test. The RPR test also finds syphilis antibodies. Rapid immunochromatographic test. This test checks for antibodies that are specific to syphilis.
Unlike other tests, the blood sample is not sent to a laboratory. You can find out the results at your doctor visit. Tests to confirm syphilis Tests used to confirm a syphilis infection include: Enzyme immunoassay EIA test. This blood test checks for syphilis antibodies. This test also checks for antibodies. It can be used to find syphilis except during the first 3 to 4 weeks after exposure.
The test can be done on a sample of blood or spinal fluid. Treponema pallidum particle agglutination assay TPPA. It is used after another method tests positive for syphilis.
This test is not done on spinal fluid. Darkfield microscopy. This test uses a special microscope to look for the syphilis germ in a sample of fluid or tissue from an open sore. This test is used mainly to diagnose syphilis in an early stage. The MHA-TP is used to confirm a syphilis infection after another test shows positive results for syphilis.
Why It Is Done A syphilis infection can spread through the bloodstream to all parts of the body. A test for syphilis is done to: Screen for syphilis or check how well treatment is working. This is called neurosyphilis.
For this test, a doctor will collect CSF through a procedure called a lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap. When T. Instead, the test measures the number of antibodies present in the blood or CSF. Healthcare providers collect a sample of blood or spinal fluid and send it off to a laboratory where a technician will test it for antibodies. A VDLR test on blood involves adding a colorless alcoholic solution consisting of beef cardiolipin, lecithin, and cholesterol to the blood sample.
A CSF test involves adding a mixture of lipids, called reagin. If clumping occurs, this indicates a positive reaction and, therefore, the presence of syphilis. In most situations, healthcare providers perform VDRL tests by taking blood samples. However, they can perform the test using a sample of CSF. A blood draw involves a healthcare provider inserting a hollow needle into a vein in the elbow or on the back of the hand.
A healthcare provider may tie a rubber band, or tourniquet, above the injection site before inserting the needle to make the veins easier to locate. Healthcare providers collect samples of CSF through a procedure known as a lumbar puncture or spinal tap. Then they will insert a spinal needle into the lower spine, which they use to extract a small quantity of CSF.
The test can take 3—5 days. However, people who have a high risk of syphilis may want to consider getting routine screening tests about every 3 months. The VDRL blood test is not always accurate. Infections, such as HIV or pneumonia , as well as other autoimmune disorders, can trigger a false-positive result. If the result is positive, a doctor will perform another test, such as the fluorescent treponemal absorption assay.
This blood sample will then be sent to a laboratory and tested for the antibodies produced as a result of syphilis. If your doctor suspects that the syphilis infection has spread to your brain, your doctor may choose to test your spinal fluid in addition to your blood. If your test comes back positive for syphilis antibodies, you probably but not definitely have syphilis. If this occurs, your doctor will order a more specific test to confirm the results.
A treponemal test is often used to confirm the positive test. Treponemal tests check whether your immune system has produced specific antibodies in direct response to the syphilis-causing Treponema pallidum.
The test is also unreliable in late-stage syphilis. In some cases, your body may not produce antibodies even if you have been infected with syphilis. This means the VDRL test will be inaccurate. The antibodies produced as a result of a syphilis infection can stay in your body even after your syphilis has been treated.
This means you might always have positive results on this test. The risks of a blood draw are fairly minor.
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