RPR

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Blood test

Overview

Risks

Results

RPR

Alternative Names:

Rapid plasma reagin

Normal Values:

The screening test is most valuable in middle stage syphilis, as it will most likely be positive during this time. During early and late stage syphilis, the test may be falsely negative. Additional testing may be needed before ruling out syphilis.

What abnormal results mean:

A positive test result may indicate underlying 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 will help distinguish between syphilis and other infections.

The RPR 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: 6/27/2005
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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