[Question #8322] Syphillis Test - should retest

46 months ago

Hello Doctors,

Quick question that should be relatively straightforward. I had received unprotected fellatio from. CSW approx 17 days ago. My partner came down with what is believed to be a UTI so I decided to get an STD panel done just to make sure it was not something from me. I felt anything was unlikely based on my limited knowledge of STI transmission and

Reading your info about oral

Sex being relatively safe. I have zero symptoms and have never tested positive for Syphilis or the others. Much to my surprise my initial result came back abnormal but the confirm came back non reactive and therefore a false positive according to them. The testing company called and suggested that I retest in 2-4 weeks but the individual sounded like she was reading from a playbook. Given those facts should I get retested or take comfort In the fact that 17 days have passed,

No symptoms and the non reactive Paaledium (sp?) results.

Thanks for your time.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

46 months ago

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question. Thanks as well and at other posts on the forum. We leave those posts there to be used exactly if you did, looking for similar situation and gaining information relevant to your own circumstances. You have come to the correct conclusion. Your negative tests for gonorrhea and chlamydia are conclusive and do not need to be repeated. The suggestion that you repeat your testing in the future is misdirected. Your risk for acquiring syphilis from receipt of oral sex is virtually 0. Over 2/3 of syphilis occurs amongst men who have sex with men and in those individuals receipt of oral sex is very rarely a cause of infection. You were risk of acquiring save us from receipt of oral sex from your commercial sex work partner is extraordinarily low. There is no need for repeats it was testing either.

I presume that when you say the results of your initial test were abnormal, you are indicating that white blood cells were present. If so, this is a non-specific finding for which there are no data to suggest that your partner is at risk.

I believe this addresses the questions you asked. If I missed something or any part of my answer is unclear, please don’t hesitate to use you were up to two follow-ups for clarification. EWH

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46 months ago

Thank you.

Hard to follow since not in the field but The lab sheet says

RPR, RFX Qn… abnormal Reactive

RPR, Qn+TP Above high Normal

Trep. Pallidum - Non reactive.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

46 months ago

Thanks for the additional information. This result does not reflect white blood cells in a specimen but is a falsely positive result on your Syphilis test. There were two tests done for Syphilis, the RPR and the Trep. Palidum test. Typically, the Trep. Pallidum test becomes positive before the RPR. Your result shows that the RPR was barely positive and the Trep. Pallidum test was negative. The interpretation of these results is that your test was falsely positive. The “standard recommendation” following a result such of this is to repeat the test in the future, as soon as two weeks late4 would be sufficient. Given your circumstances of your exposure and the specific results that you have reported, I am confident that your test was falsely positive. If you choose to repeat the test out of an abundance of caution I am confident the results will be saying the same or entirely negative, verifying that the initial test was falsely positive. EWH ---

46 months ago

Thank you. Appreciate the feedback and quick replies. Enjoy your weekend.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

46 months ago

Glad I could be helpful. Take care. EWH ---