VDRL reflex Syphilis Total ABS, Serum Test

Syphilis test is usually ordered to rule out infection. For example, for a pregnant woman, it is important to rule out syphilis as the infection may harm the foetus. So syphilis test is ordered as part of routine care and not because there are symptoms or an infection is suspected.

If you are being treated for Gonorrhoea or any other sexually transmitted infection, a syphilis test may also be added to rule out infection.

Symptoms of syphilis infection include painless sore, swelling in lymph nodes around the sore or a skin rash that typically does not itch.

Basically, the VDRL test checks for antibodies. Antibodies are proteins produced by your body and immune system to fight an infection. So even if you don’t have symptoms of syphilis, the test accurate measures prior infection and response to infection.

Most often, a blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm; sometimes, a scraping from the affected area; less commonly, cerebrospinal fluid taken via a spinal tap, depending on your symptoms.

An infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum that is most often spread by sexual contact, such as through direct contact with a syphilis sore (chancre), a firm, raised, painless sore is called as Syphilis. The most common syphilis tests detect antibodies in the blood that are produced in response to a T. pallidum infection. Some methods that are utilised less commonly directly detect the bacterium or its genetic material (DNA).

Syphilis is easily treated with antibiotics but can initiate severe health problems if not treated. An infected mother can also pass the disease to her unborn child, with serious and potentially fatal consequences for the baby.

The test is done in suspected cases of syphilis infection. The common symptoms include small painless sore, lymph node swelling , itching , in patients with history of unprotected sexual contact or multiple sexual partners. The test may also be done in patients diagnosed with other sexually transmitted infections as well. First test is RPR/ VDRL and if the results to this test are positive then total antibody test is done for confirmation

In this reflex RPR/VDRL measure presence of antibodies to cardiolipin antigen while the second test measures antibodies to Treponema pallidum 

This test requires a blood sample. A tourniquet (elastic) band is placed tightly on the upper arm. The patient is then asked to make a fist. This helps in the build-up of blood filling the veins. The skin is disinfected before needle insertion and the blood sample is collected in vacutainer. 

A positive RPR/ VDRL test indicates an acute, current infection but can be positive in other conditions as well (false positive). Syphilis total antibody test is done to confirm this. Antibodies detected by this test are against Treponema and hence specific.
Negative results rule out syphilis. False negative results may occur early on in the disease