Syphilis, RPR Test

Syphilis is a highly contagious sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It spreads most commonly through vaginal, anal, or oral sex, and can also be passed from a pregnant person to their baby. Syphilis is fully curable with antibiotics, yet cases have been rising nationwide for over a decade.

That’s why reliable testing matters. Our syphilis test is designed to give you fast answers, clear interpretation, and clinical-level accuracy from start to finish.

How Our Syphilis Test Works:

We screen using the Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) test, a widely used, CDC-recommended screening method. Here’s what makes it effective:

What RPR Detects

The RPR test looks for non-treponemal antibodies, which your immune system creates when syphilis causes cellular damage. These antibodies are not specific to the bacterium itself; they signal that your body has responded to tissue injury caused by syphilis.

Why This Matters

• RPR can detect infection in both the primary and secondary stages.
• Antibody levels can reflect disease activity, which helps clinicians understand whether the infection may be new, active, or previously treated.

Unlike basic “yes/no” tests, we also provide quantitative titers, which measure the concentration of antibodies. Higher titers generally indicate a more active infection.

Confirmatory Testing

If your RPR test is reactive, our labs will run a treponemal confirmatory test such as:

• FTA-ABS (Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody Absorption)
• T. pallidum particle agglutination (TP-PA)

These tests detect antibodies specific to Treponema pallidum and help distinguish:

• True active infection
• Past treated infection
• False positives

Why Syphilis Often Goes Untreated:

One of the biggest dangers of syphilis is that symptoms may be:

• Mild
• Easy to confuse with other conditions
• Completely absent

Even when symptoms appear, they may disappear without treatment, giving a false sense of recovery while the infection continues to progress internally.

The Three Stages of Syphilis:

Primary Stage (10–90 days after exposure)

• A single, firm, painless sore (chancre) at the infection site
• Typically appears on the genitals, anus, mouth, or throat
• Heals without treatment, but the infection remains

Secondary Stage (Weeks to months after exposure)

Symptoms can come and go for months:

• Widespread rash, including palms and soles
• Mucous membrane sores
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Fever, fatigue, and headache
• Patchy hair loss
• Weight loss
• Vision disturbances caused by ocular syphilis
• Neurological changes (e.g., hearing loss, facial weakness)

Secondary syphilis is highly infectious.

Latent Stage

After secondary symptoms fade, syphilis becomes latent:

• Early latent: within the first year, still transmissible
• Late latent: beyond one year, usually not transmissible sexually

No symptoms occur in this stage, but the infection persists.

Tertiary Stage (Years to decades later if untreated)

Tertiary syphilis can damage multiple organs:

• Brain & spinal cord (neurosyphilis)
• Eyes (ocular syphilis)
• Heart & blood vessels (cardiovascular syphilis)
• Bones and soft tissues

Complications include:

• Dementia-like symptoms
• Blindness
• Stroke
• Aortic aneurysm
• Paralysis
• Death

What Your Test Results Mean:

Nonreactive RPR

• No detectable antibodies
• May indicate no infection
• If exposure was recent, a repeat test in 2–3 weeks is advised

Reactive RPR

• Antibodies detected
• Could indicate active, recent, or past infection
• Requires quantitative titer testing

Interpreting Titers

• Titers are reported as ratios (e.g., 1:2, 1:4, 1:8, 1:32, etc.)
• Higher titers generally suggest recent or active infection

Who Should Consider This Test?

You may benefit from this test if:

• You have had multiple or new sexual partners
• You are entering a new relationship and both partners want a comprehensive check
• You have had unprotected sex and want broad testing in one visit
• You want STD screenings without scheduling a doctor’s visit first

110% Price Guarantee!

If you find the same test for a lower price from a comparable provider, contact us. We not only match the price, we beat it by an additional 10 percent of the difference.