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The rapid plasma reagin test (RPR test or RPR titer) is a type of rapid diagnostic test that looks for non-specific antibodies in the blood of the patient that may indicate an infection by syphilis or related non-venereal treponematoses. It is one of several nontreponemal tests for syphilis (along with the Wassermann test and the VDRL test).
In the test, red blood cells (erythrocytes) are sensitized with antigens from T. pallidum pallidum. The cells then aggregate on the surface of a test dish if exposed to the serum of a patient with syphilis. It is used as a confirmatory test for syphilis infection. A negative test result shows a tight button or spot of red blood cells on the ...
The fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) test is a diagnostic test for syphilis.Using antibodies specific for the Treponema pallidum species, such tests would be assumed to be more specific than non-treponemal testing such as VDRL but have been shown repeatedly to be sensitive but not specific for the diagnosis of neurosyphilis in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Additionally these tests may show false-negative when the patient's antibody titer is very high due to a hook effect (also called a prozone effect). Because of the issues with false positives, confirmation with a second treponemal test that is specific for T. pallidum antibodies is recommended. [5] [6]
There are a number of treponemal-specific tests such as the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test, T. pallidum hemagglutination assays , and the microhemagglutination assay . [citation needed] The MHA-TP is used to confirm a syphilis infection after another method tests positive for the syphilis bacteria.
Penicillin can inhibit T. pallidum in 6–8 hours, though the cells still remain in lymph nodes and regenerate. Penicillin is not the only drug that can be used to inhibit T. pallidum; any β-lactam antibiotics or macrolides can be used. [65] The T. pallidum strain 14 has built-in resistance to some macrolides, including erythromycin and ...
Other related treponemal diseases are bejel (T. pallidum endemicum), pinta (T. carateum), and syphilis (T. p. pallidum). Yaws is often diagnosed by the appearance of the lesions. Blood antibody tests may be useful, but cannot separate previous from current infections. Polymerase chain reaction is the most accurate method of diagnosis.
If clumping is seen, the Coombs test is positive; if not, the Coombs test is negative. [ 3 ] Common clinical uses of the Coombs test include the preparation of blood for transfusion in cross-matching , atypical antibodies in the blood plasma of pregnant women as part of antenatal care , and detection of antibodies for the diagnosis of immune ...