| Test Name | : | VDRL |
|---|---|---|
| Sample Type | : | Blood | Gender | : | Male / Female | Age group | : | All Age GroupYears |
| Report Timeline | : | Within 24hrs |
| This Test Includes | : | 0 Tests |
Parameters:
The VDRL (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory) test is a blood test used to detect syphilis, a sexually transmitted ...
Screening for Syphilis in asymptomatic individuals.
Confirming a Syphilis Diagnosis in people with symptoms like sores, rashes, or fever.
Monitoring Syphilis Treatment to check the effectiveness of antibiotics.
Detecting Congenital Syphilis in newborns born to infected mothers.
A blood sample is drawn from the arm.
In suspected neurosyphilis cases, a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample may be taken.
If the result is positive, further confirmatory tests like the FTA-ABS (Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody Absorption) test are recommended.
The VDRL (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory) test detects antibodies produced in response to syphilis. However, since it is a non-treponemal test, it requires confirmation with specific tests like FTA-ABS (Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody Absorption) test or TPHA (Treponema Pallidum Hemagglutination Assay).
Negative Result (Non-Reactive)
No antibodies detected.
Indicates no syphilis infection or very early-stage infection.
Retesting may be needed if exposure was recent.
Positive Result (Reactive)
Indicates possible syphilis infection.
Further testing (FTA-ABS or TPHA) is required for confirmation.
In some cases, a positive result may be due to other conditions like tuberculosis, malaria, or autoimmune diseases, leading to false positives.
Weakly Positive Result
May indicate early syphilis or a false positive.
Additional confirmatory tests are recommended.
Syphilis is treated with antibiotics, primarily penicillin, which is highly effective in all stages of the disease.
Primary & Secondary Syphilis
Single dose of Benzathine Penicillin G (intramuscular injection).
If allergic to penicillin, doxycycline or azithromycin may be prescribed.
Latent or Late-Stage Syphilis
Three doses of Benzathine Penicillin G (one per week for three weeks).
If untreated, syphilis can progress to severe complications, affecting the heart, brain, and other organs.
Neurosyphilis (Brain Involvement)
Requires intravenous (IV) penicillin for 10-14 days.
Congenital Syphilis (Infected Newborns)
Treated with penicillin injections to prevent serious complications like blindness, deafness, or developmental delays.
Regular VDRL or RPR tests are recommended after treatment to ensure the infection is completely cured.
Patients should avoid sexual contact until cleared by a doctor.
Partners of infected individuals should also be tested and treated if necessary.
