Syphilus Test Question

[Savittre]

Hi Guys,

I got checked for syphilus, results came back negative. Is that conclusive?

My meaning here is that, for example, with HIV, a check at 3 months is not conclusive. You need to do it again after 6 months have passed.

Is the syph test like that too, or what? I didn't think to ask the doctor at the time, and he didn't say. Thank you very much!!

[tomc12]

Screening tests for syphillis are usually an RPR or VDRL. They are positive about 7 days after exposure.

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by Savittre:

Hi Guys,

I got checked for syphilus, results came back negative. Is that conclusive?

My meaning here is that, for example, with HIV, a check at 3 months is not conclusive. You need to do it again after 6 months have passed.

Is the syph test like that too, or what? I didn't think to ask the doctor at the time, and he didn't say. Thank you very much!!

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I would suggest that you look at 90 days post exposure as the outside for your blood to show the infection. The following is from the CDC.gov, "The time between infection with syphilis and the start of the first symptom can

range from 10-90 days (average 21 days). The primary stage of syphilis is

usually marked by the appearance of a single sore (called a chancre), but there

may be multiple sores. The chancre is usually firm, round, small, and painless. It

appears at the spot where syphilis entered the body. The chancre lasts 3-6

weeks, and it will heal on its own. If adequate treatment is not administered,

the infection progresses to the secondary stage.

Good luck.

[Savittre]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the info. Now, I was tested for VDRL only- whatever that is! Not RPR. I haven't seen any symptoms either, but thanks for the 'chancre' description.

Also, it's not like the lady has this disease, it's just that the doctor suggested it would be good to be checked out for it. I was at Bumrungrad, FYI.

I'm wondering if I should have been checked out for RPR as well?

Thank you again

[tomc12]

The VDRL and RPR are both nonspecific screening tests for syphillis. I am not sure, but I believe that the VDRL is now used by government organizations and the RPR is used in a doctor's office. I don't know of any advantage of one over the other and if your VDRL was negative, I wouldn't have an RPR done. As one poster mentioned, you can have false negative results with either test, but the percentage is small.