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Syphilis is a venereal disease caused by a bacterium called pale spirochetes. You can catch syphilis not only through unprotected (condom) sex, but also through oral and anal sex and, due to the popularity of oral sex, even by kissing. Syphilis infection at the initial stage of infection may manifest as itchy rash, pustules and papules, which are sometimes mistaken for an allergic rash. It’s also possible to get an infection without the usual rash symptom. At a later stage of infection, spirochetes attack internal organs and disrupt their functioning. Syphilis infection can also be asymptomatic for many years, and ailments from various systems can be confused with other diseases. Undetected and untreated syphilis leads to very serious consequences such as infertility, myocarditis, severe neurological disorders and death, which is why early detection and prevention of this disease is so important.
VDRL screening test – a simple way to avoid risk
An effective screening test for syphilis is the VDRL test. The syphilis test is a standard reimbursed examination for pregnant women – it is performed at the beginning of pregnancy and in the 37th week. The syphilis coil can cross the placenta, causing irreversible and severe damage to the fetus and even miscarriage or intrauterine death. Syphilis test worth doing earlier. The disease can be detected very quickly – a detectable number of antibodies is produced in the body as early as one month after the infection. Syphilis detected at an early stage is completely curable, and penicillin therapy is used for its treatment.
What does the VDRL test look like? For the patient, this is the usual venous blood sampling from the elbow bend. A private test is inexpensive – the price usually fluctuates between PLN 10-20. This is the so-called flocculation test – under the microscope, the laboratory technician checks whether the antibodies in the form of “flocs” precipitate from the blood plasma after adding the antigen.
Interpretation of the VDRL test results
VDRL study it is a non-specific test. This means that it detects non-specific antibodies, the so-called reaginic. These are antibodies against a variety of bacteria, not just spirochetal syphilis. In practice, for the patient, this means that a positive test result does not always indicate syphilis. Interpretation of the VDRL test results should look like this:
- negative result – it excludes infection, but to be sure, the test should be repeated after a month to check if it was not done right after infection, before the production of antibodies and detection was not possible,
- positive result – can mean syphilis or a positive positive result. In order to confirm or rule out the disease, in this case the diagnostics should be extended by specific test against syphilis (eg FTA-ABS). A false positive may result from other diseases, such as viral infections, Lyme disease, malaria, autoimmune diseases, and is always a clue to take a closer look at your health. It can also be caused by certain medications. It is always worthwhile to undergo preventive examinations, as they allow for a quick response and cure many diseases that are no longer curable at an advanced stage.
Read more about STD research:
- What is the USR test, or test for syphilis?
- WR test (Wasserman reaction) – indications, course, test results
- Research on sexually transmitted diseases including gonorrhea, HIV, HPV, and more