Syphilis Testing

Syphilis Rapid Plasma Reagin Test (RPR) Test with Reflex to Quantitative RPR and Confirmatory TP-PA

The Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) Test is a simple blood test that looks for antibodies the body makes to fight the syphilis infection. It can take 4 to 6 weeks after infection for antibodies to be found.

It's also important to know that if you've had syphilis in the past and were treated for it, the test results could still be positive. Always keep a copy of your health records to show your doctor if you test positive again for syphilis.

This screening test is very sensitive but not very specific.

What does that mean? It means it's possible to get a "false-positive" result. If you get a positive result, your doctor will order another more specific test for confirmation.