Analysis for syphilis

Syphilis is a known venereal disease. Most often, syphilis is transmitted sexually (95% of cases). It is also possible to contaminate the household, with blood transfusions and congenital syphilis, obtained from a sick mother.

Diagnosis of syphilis

Diagnosis of the disease can be based on the results of blood tests in the presence of symptoms of the disease. To get accurate data, you need to know how to take an analysis of syphilis. Blood sampling takes place in the morning hours and only on an empty stomach (the last meal should be at least 8 hours before blood donation), it is prohibited on the eve of the analysis to drink alcohol and liquids, except water, you can not smoke.

Usually, the laboratories use the following serological blood tests to detect syphilis:

1. Analysis of blood RW for syphilis indicates the presence, the degree of activity of the causative agent and the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment. Sometimes such an analysis for syphilis is erroneous.
2. Analysis of the blood RIF for syphilis is more sensitive, it gives a positive reaction in the earlier stages of the disease, which is very important for diagnosis in the latent period of the course of the disease.
3. Analysis of ELISA for syphilis determines the presence of antibodies in the human body to the causative agent of the disease - pale treponema.
4. Analysis of RPHA is prescribed to patients in order to confirm the stage of the disease. The test result can not be used to establish an accurate diagnosis. This indicator is important to be considered in conjunction with other types of blood tests for syphilis individually for each person.
5. Blood sampling RIBT recognizes the false positive result of Wassermann's reaction (blood test RW for syphilis) - it is either refuted or confirmed.

Analysis of syphilis tests

Serological blood tests for syphilis are divided into 2 groups: nonspecific (this includes the analysis of blood RW) and specific (analyzes of RIF, ELISA, RNGA, RIBT) tests.

These groups differ in that nonspecific tests will show a positive analysis for syphilis, if a person is sick in this particular period of time. After curing for the disease, nonspecific assays will become negative. That is, a negative result can serve as a certain guarantee that a person does not have syphilis at the time of blood donation for analysis.

Specific tests are usually prescribed to a person when, for example, the result of a RW blood test for syphilis is positive. Such tests reveal antibodies in the patient's body that can fight the disease. And even after a complete cure will be positive for a long time.

To identify more accurate results of the analysis, several methods are used simultaneously for syphilis.