Syphilis Screening and Important Things Inside

Syphilis screening is a screening method that is carried out to detect the presence of syphilis-causing bacteria. In detecting these bacteria, doctors examine the presence of antibodies produced by the body to fight syphilis infection. Screening is done before syphilis symptoms are apparent in a person. Syphilis is a type of sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. This bacterium causes infection if it enters the body through open sores on the skin or the inner lining of the genitals. Syphilis is most commonly transmitted through sexual contact, but can also be transmitted from pregnant women to their babies. If not treated immediately, syphilis can cause damage to the brain, heart, and blood vessels. In addition, syphilis can also cause blindness, paralysis, to death. If it occurs in pregnant women, syphilis can cause babies born abnormally, even death at birth. Therefore, it is important for people who are at high risk for syphilis to undergo early detection, given the level of accuracy of early-stage syphilis screening can reach 75% to 85%.

Indications for Syphilis Screening

Because syphilis is transmitted through sexual contact, doctors will recommend screening syphilis in commercial sex workers, HIV sufferers who are still actively engaging in sexual relations, someone who has sex with multiple partners and is not wearing a condom, and in male sex men. In risk groups, it is advisable to screen for syphilis at least once a year. If deemed very risky, the examination can be done more frequently, which is 3-6 months. Syphilis is also known to be transmitted from a pregnant woman to the fetus she is carrying, therefore the doctor will also advise pregnant women to undergo syphilis screening. This step is to prevent babies born abnormally or die at birth. Examination in pregnant women is advised at the first time to control the obstetrician, and repeated during the third trimester and just before delivery.

Syphilis Screening Warning

The results of syphilis screening can be influenced by several conditions, such as:

• Injecting drug use
• Pregnancy
• Malaria
• Lyme disease
• Pneumonia
• Tuberculosis
• Lupus

Syphilis Screening Type

Syphilis screening is done by serological tests, which are tests that detect antibodies in the blood. Serological tests to detect syphilis are divided into two types, namely the nontreponema test and the treponema test. One test must be followed by another to confirm the results of the examination.

• Nontreponema test

This test detects antibodies that are not specifically associated with the bacterium Treponema pallidum. Called non-specific, because the antibodies detected can be produced by the body when infected with T. pallidum, or can also be produced in other conditions. This test is sensitive to see the presence or absence of syphilis infection, but because of its non-specific nature, a positive result does not mean that you are suffering from syphilis. There are two types of nontreponema tests, namely the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test, and the venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) test.

• Treponema test

The treponema test detects antibodies that are specifically related to the bacteria that cause syphilis. Although more specific, the treponema test must still be combined with the nontreponema test. This is to distinguish whether an infection in a patient is an active infection, or an infection that occurred in the past but has been successfully cured.

Some treponemal tests include FTA-ABS (fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption), TP-PA (treponema pallidum particle agglutination assay), MHA-TP (microhemagglutination assay), and IA (immunoassays).

Preparation and Procedure for Syphilis Screening

Syphilis screening does not require special preparation, such as fasting. In syphilis screening, blood samples are taken through veins, which are carried out in the following stages:

• The doctor will ask the patient to sit or lie in the examination room.
• An elastic strap will be placed around the patient's upper arm, so that the blood in the veins is blocked and protruding.
• The doctor will clean the area to be pricked with an antiseptic solution, then insert the needle into a vein. Some patients may feel pain when the needle goes into a vein, but only temporarily.
• After the blood has collected in the suction tube, the doctor will remove the strap, pull out the needle, press the cotton on the area of ​​the needle prick, and attach the tape.
• Blood samples taken will be taken to the laboratory for examination.

After Syphilis Screening

The doctor will notify you of syphilis screening results in 3 to 5 days. The combination of syphilis screening tests can determine whether the patient is suffering from active syphilis and needs to be treated, has had syphilis but has been inactive, or is not suffering from syphilis. Negative results sometimes need to watch out for, especially if the examination is done at a stage that is still too early. Patients will be advised to re-undergo the test after some time, if the patient is strongly suspected of having syphilis. If indeed the patient does not suffer from syphilis, but is still at risk of syphilis, it is recommended to have syphilis screening routinely.

Side Effects of Syphilis Screening

Side effects arising from syphilis testing are due to blood collection procedures, but rarely occur. These side effects include:

• Infection
• Dizzy
• Bleeding
• Hematoma