What does a non reactive FTA-ABS mean?
Normal Results. A negative or nonreactive result means that you do not have a current or past infection with syphilis. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples.
What does RPR non reactive mean?
A negative or nonreactive result means you don’t likely have syphilis. Positive results are given as a ratio in titers. This tells your healthcare provider the amount of antibodies in your blood.
What does syphilis IgG mean?
A reactive syphilis IgG result indicates that a person has been exposed to T. pallidum at some point in his/her life. However, this testing may remain reactive for life in the majority of people who have had syphilis, even if they have been treated properly.
What does a positive RPR and negative FTA-ABS mean?
Whenever a screening test (RPR, VDRL) is positive, a more specific test (FTA-ABS, TP-MHA) should be used to confirm the test and rule out a “biologic false positive.” A negative or “nonreactive” test may indicate: The patient doesn’t have syphilis.
What can cause a false positive FTA-ABS?
False-positive serum FTA-ABS occurs in a variety of diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (with a weak and/or beaded pattern), relapsing fever, Lyme disease (Magnarelli et al., 1987), yaws, pinta, leptospirosis, and rat bite fever (Tuffanelli et al., 1967).
What can cause a reactive RPR?
Some conditions may cause a false-positive test, including:
- IV drug use.
- Lyme disease.
- Certain types of pneumonia.
- Malaria.
- Pregnancy.
- Systemic lupus erythematosus and some other autoimmune disorders.
- Tuberculosis (TB)
What if RPR is reactive?
If the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) screen is reactive, then the RPR titer will be performed at an additional charge. If the RPR screen is nonreactive, then syphilis antibody Treponema pallidum particle agglutination testing will be performed at an additional charge.
What can cause RPR to be positive?
What is considered a positive RPR?
A positive test result may mean that you have syphilis. If the screening test is positive, the next step is to confirm the diagnosis with a more specific test for syphilis, such as FTA-ABS . The FTA-ABS test will help distinguish between syphilis and other infections or conditions.
Can a FTA-ABS test be used for reinfection?
The FTA-ABS should not be used to follow treatment or establish reinfection since specific treponemal tests may remain reactive for life. FTA-ABS test for syphilis has been reported to be falsely positive in patients with diseases associated with abnormally high globulin concentrations.
When to use reflex and additional tests on RPR?
Delineates situations when tests are added to the initial order. This includes reflex and additional tests. If the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) screen is reactive, then the RPR titer will be performed at an additional charge.
When to use FTA-ABS in tertiary syphilis?
FTA-ABS antibodies rise more quickly in primary syphilis and remain positive in tertiary syphilis. In late syphilis, approximately 1/3 of these patients may have a nonreactive VDRL or RPR. Therefore, if there is clinical suspicion of late syphilis and the VDRL or RPR is nonreactive, the FTA-ABS should be performed.
Which is more sensitive serodia TP-PA or FTA ABS?
Serodia TP-PA assay is less sensitive than the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) test in untreated primary syphilis but compares favorably in all other stages of syphilis. Serodia TP-PA assay should not be used to evaluate response to therapy since treponemal tests tend to remain reactive following treatment for syphilis.