A presumptive diagnosis of syphilis can be made when these antibodies are detected in serum. The Card Test uses a modified form of the VDRL antigen 1 containing micro-particulate carbon to improve the reading of results. The test can be performed using unheated serum or plasma. DR Positive Control Serum. DR Negative Control Serum. Test Cards. Mixing Sticks. Instruction leaflet. However, this cannot guarantee the absence of virus, and therefore the reagents should be handled as capable of transmitting hepatitis.
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 test will be able to confirm whether the infection is syphilis. If a person receives a positive result, a doctor will typically perform a treponemal test, which detects the antibodies to the T Pall i dum proteins. If this is positive, it indicates that syphilis has infected the central nervous system.
Sometimes, however, doctors test for syphilis in reverse. They will begin by testing a person with a syphilis-specific treponemal test. If this proves positive, they will follow it up with a nontreponemal test, such as a VDRL. The VDRL test offers a safe and convenient way to screen for syphilis infections.
The test itself does not carry any significant risks. However, there may be some slight complications associated with the process of drawing blood and lumbar punctures. A chancre appears during the primary stage of syphilis. This is when skin rashes and lesions appear. They may occur in the vagina, the anus, or the mouth. A person may also develop a fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, and hair loss.
This stage can be fatal and typically occurs between 10—30 years after the initial infection. This soon goes away. This test is used to screen for syphilis. The bacteria that cause syphilis is called Treponema pallidum. Your health care provider may order this test if you have signs and symptoms of a sexually transmitted illness STI.
This test is similar to the newer rapid plasma reagin RPR test. A negative test is normal. It means that no antibodies to syphilis have been seen in your blood sample. The screening test is most likely to be positive in the secondary and latent stages of syphilis. This test may give a false-negative result during early- and late-stage syphilis. This test must be confirmed with another blood test to make the diagnosis of syphilis.
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results. A positive test result means you may have syphilis. If the test is positive, the next step is to confirm the results with an FTA-ABS test, which is a more specific syphilis test.
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