Qualitative Evaluation of the DPP Syphilis Screen and Confirm Rapid Test to Detect the Presence of Antibodies Against Non-Treponemal and Treponema Pallidum Antigens in Fingerstick Whole Blood, Venous Whole Blood, Serum and Plasma Specimens.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum. It is a chronic bacterial infection that remains a public health concern worldwide, especially in resource poor settings. Syphilis can be transmitted from infected women to their unborn children during pregnancy. Worldwide 12 million individuals are diagnosed with syphilis each year, 90% of them in developing countries. Diagnosed individuals are also at risk of becoming infected with and transmitting HIV [1].

Early and appropriate diagnosis and treatment prevents the transmission and development of severe complications. A rapid serologic test for specific antibodies to non-Treponemal and T. pallidum antigens is important in the early diagnosis and treatment monitoring of syphilis patients. In turn, this monitoring allows for the formulation of a more successful public health strategy. Various serologic tests are currently available such as Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL), rapid plasma reagin (RPR), fluorescent Treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) test, T. pallidum hemagglutination (TPHA) test, immunoenzymatic assay (EIA), Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) test and Western blot (WB) test [2- 5]. The Chembio DPP Syphilis Screen & Confirm Assay is a unique non-Treponemal and Treponemal rapid point-of-care test, which is simple and easy to use. The DPP Syphilis Screen & Confirm Assay is a qualitative immunoassay for the detection of antibodies to the non-Treponemal and T. pallidum antigens in serum, plasma and whole blood.