Syphilis Test: Symptoms, Procedure & Test Results Explained
What is a syphilis?
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that may have medical consequences many years after the initial infection. It is relatively rare in Australia nowadays.
What are the symptoms of a syphilis infection?
In adults, the infection starts as a painless genital ulcer, followed by a widespread skin rash and swollen glands (lymphadenopathy) some 3 to 6 weeks later – known as secondary syphilis.
Tertiary syphilis occurs in some patients after a variable period of time, and causes widespread danage to the nervous system, heart, eyes, bones and joints.
Infection of the nervous system, known as neurosyphilis, can cause personality change, unsteady gait, stroke, visual symptoms or dementia.
When would you need a syphilis test?
You would generally get a syphilis test if you are experiencing symptoms of a syphilis infection or suspect you have been exposed to syphilis (e.g. through sexual contact).
A syphilis test is also routinely performed for pregnant women in the early part of pregnancy, because infection in the developing foetus can result in serious malformations.
How is a syphilis test performed?
A syphilis test requires a few millilitres of venous blood. It uses various laboratory methods to directly or indirectly identify the bacterium Treponema pallidum or the body’s response to infection – antibodies.
A syphilis test may be performed in newborn babies, usually as part of a screen for congenital (acquired before birth) infections.
Syphilis test results explained
Negative
A negative syphilis test result means that the infection has not been detected in the body – normal.
Positive
A positive syphilis test result means that the infection is present in the body,
False positive
Some types of test may give a false positive result, especially in the presence of some auto-immune diseases.
Related specialists
- Obstetrician
- Sexual Health Physician
- Psychiatrist
- Paediatrician
- Neurologist
- Infectious Disease Physician
- General Physician
- Cardiologist
- General Practitioner (GP)
Related procedures
- Blood Test (venesection)
Related tests
- VDRL
- RPR
- FTA
- FTA-abs
Also known as
- VDRL
- RPR
- FTA
- FTA-ABS
Links
A: Use HealthEngine to find and book your next GP appointment. Click on the following locations to find a GP clinic in your state or territory.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. If in doubt, HealthEngine recommends consulting with a registered health practitioner.
All content and media on the HealthEngine Blog is created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. Never disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the nearest hospital emergency department, or call the emergency services immediately.
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