What does a low syphilis titer mean?
Low titers will persist in approximately 50% of patients with late syphilis after adequate therapy after 2 years. [22] This low titer persistent seropositivity does not signify treatment failure or reinfection, and these patients are likely to remain serofast even if they are retreated.
What is a good titer for syphilis?
After someone is treated for syphilis we like to see the titers drop after a few weeks. In order for it to be adequate the levels must change by at least 2 dilutions….so 1:16 would have to drop at least below 1:4 to show a good response to treatment.
What is a negative RPR titer?
Results. Negative results. A negative result may mean you don’t have syphilis or have recovered if you’ve had it previously. Depending on the stage of syphilis, the RPR test may produce false-negative results.
Can you have syphilis with negative RPR?
A negative test result is considered normal. However, the body does not always produce antibodies specifically in response to the syphilis bacteria, so the test is not always accurate. False-negatives may occur in people with early- and late-stage syphilis.
What is the lowest RPR titer?
Following successful treatment, the RPR declines over time and may become nonreactive. However, the RPR may remain reactive at a low titer (generally <1:8), a condition referred to as the serofast state.
Can RPR detect latent syphilis?
This study suggests that RPR testing alone is insufficient to diagnose primary and late latent infections, especially in middle-aged and elderly individuals. Syphilis detection was lower for patients with primary syphilis than for those with late latent syphilis based on the results of the RPR.
Does drinking alcohol affect RPR test for syphilis?
Drinking alcohol (beer) does not in any way affect an RPR test for syphilis. Sometimes a medical condition called Lupus can cause a false positive RPR, but otherwise the test is incredibly accurate. 2.
When to recheck RPR after treatment?
MONITORING RESPONSE TO TREATMENT. Serum VDRL or RPR titers should be rechecked at six- and 12-month intervals in these patients. It is not clear how far these titers should be expected to fall, but if they increase or if a high titer does not decrease, treatment should be considered a failure.
How do you test for syphilis?
Usually, your nurse or doctor will take a quick blood sample to test you for syphilis. If you have open sores, they may gently take a sample of fluid from the sore with a swab and test it. The idea of getting tested may seem scary, but try to chill out.
What can cause a positive syphilis test?
For example, with tests used to diagnose syphilis (such as the Rapid Plasma Reagin or VORL antigen tests), common causes of false positives include acute viral and bacterial illness, pregnancy and drug addition, according to the State of Alaska Health Care Services.