VDRL

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Blood test

Overview

Risks

Results

VDRL

Alternative Names:

Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test

Normal Values:

The value of a negative test depends on the stage of syphilis that is suspected. Screening test is most valuable in secondary and latent syphilis as it will most likely be positive during these stages. During primary and tertiary syphilis this test may be falsely negative and additional testing may be needed prior to ruling out syphilis.

What abnormal results mean:

A positive test result may mean you have syphilis. If the test is positive, the next step is to confirm the results with an FTA-ABS test, which is a more specific syphilis test.

The VRDL test's ability to detect syphilis depends on the stage of the disease. The test's sensitivity to detect syphilis nears 100% during the middle stages; it is less sensitive during the earlier and later stages.

The following conditions may cause a false positive test:

HIV
Lyme disease
Certain types of pneumonia
Malaria
Systemic lupus erythematosus

References:

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for Syphilis Infection: Recommendation Statement. Ann Fam Med 2004; 2: 362-365.

Review Date: 6/10/2005
Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. Editorial and Eleftherios Mylonakis, M.D., Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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