How much do you know about syphilis？

What is Syphilis?

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Syphilis is a chronic systemic transmission disease caused by Treponema pallidum, with complex clinical manifestations and disease progression. This disease is widely present worldwide, with approximately 6 million new cases reported annually according to WHO. Syphilis not only endangers the health of patients, but pregnant women can also transmit it to their fetuses through the placenta, leading to miscarriage, stillbirth, or congenital syphilis. Therefore, understanding and preventing syphilis is of great public health significance.

The transmission routes of syphilis

Syphilis is mainly transmitted through the following routes:

  1. Sexual contact (main route): Via vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
  2. Mother-to-child transmission: Pregnant women with syphilis can pass it to their babies, leading to miscarriage, stillbirth, or congenital syphilis.
  3. Blood transmission: Rare cases through blood transfusion or needle sharing.
  4. Indirect contact (very rare): Contact with contaminated clothing or towels.

Stages and Symptoms of Syphilis

Syphilis progresses in stages, with symptoms varying by phase:

1. Primary Syphilis (2-4 weeks after infection)

  • Chancre: A painless ulcer, usually on the genitals, anus, or mouth. It may heal on its own, but the infection remains.
  • Swollen lymph nodes near the sore.

2. Secondary Syphilis (6 weeks to 6 months after infection)

  • Widespread rash (especially on palms and soles).
  • Flu-like symptoms (fever, headache, fatigue, joint pain).
  • Mucous membrane lesions in the mouth or genitals.

3. Latent Syphilis (Asymptomatic phase)

  • No visible symptoms, but blood tests remain positive.
  • Can last for years, potentially progressing to tertiary syphilis.

4. Tertiary Syphilis (Years after infection)

  • Severe complications: Neurosyphilis (dementia, paralysis), cardiovascular syphilis (aortic aneurysm), bone and joint damage.

Testing methods and reagents for syphilis

Early diagnosis is crucial for the treatment and prevention of syphilis. The commonly used detection methods currently include pathogen detection and serological detection, among which serological detection reagents are most widely used in clinical and laboratory settings.

1. Non Treponema pallidum antibody testing (screening test)

This type of testing reagent is used to screen for syphilis infection by detecting non-specific antibodies (reactive factors) in the human body, and is suitable for large-scale physical examinations and initial screening.

  1. RPR (Rapid Plasma Reactive Protein Test): Easy to operate, low cost, commonly used for physical examination and preoperative screening.
  2. TRUST (Toluene Red Untreated Serum Test): Similar to RPR, but using a red dye makes the results easier to observe.

Features:

✔ Suitable for preliminary screening
✔ Can be used for efficacy monitoring (antibody titers decrease with treatment)
✖ Possible false positives (to be confirmed in conjunction with other tests)

2.Detection of Treponema pallidum specific antibodies (diagnostic test)

This type of testing reagent directly detects antibodies against Treponema pallidum, with high specificity, and is used for diagnosis.

  • TPPA (Treponema Pallidum Particle Agglutination Assay): High specificity, often used for confirmation.
  • ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay): Automated, ideal for large-scale testing.
  • CLIA (Chemiluminescence Immunoassay): High sensitivity, widely used in modern labs.
  • FTA-ABS (Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody Absorption Test): Used for complex cases.

Features:
✔ High accuracy, fewer false positives
✔ Can distinguish past from current infections
✔ Some tests (e.g., CLIA, ELISA) support high-throughput testing

3. Rapid Diagnostic Tests (Point-of-Care Testing, POCT)

Suitable for Point of Care Testing (POCT), such as community screening, emergency situations, etc., the results can be obtained in 15-20 minutes.

  • Syphilis Rapid Test Strips (Colloidal Gold Method): Simple, no equipment needed.
  • Rapid Treponemal Antibody Test Kits: Suitable for primary healthcare facilities.

Features:
✔ Fast and convenient
✔ Ideal for resource-limited areas
✖ Slightly lower sensitivity than lab tests

How to prevent syphilis?

Preventive measures:

  • Safe sexual behavior and proper use of condoms
  • Avoid having multiple sexual partners
  • Routine syphilis screening in early pregnancy
  • Avoid sharing syringes
  • Inspect and treat all sexual partners of confirmed patients

Conclusion

Syphilis is a preventable and treatable disease, and testing reagents play a crucial role in early screening and diagnosis. With the development of detection technology, ELISA、CLIA、 Rapid detection reagents and other products have improved the efficiency and accuracy of syphilis diagnosis. The public should raise awareness of prevention, conduct regular testing, ensure early detection and treatment, and avoid the occurrence of serious complications.

We  Baysen Medical is  always focus on diagnostic technique  to improve the quality of life . We have developed  5 technology platforms-  Latex , colloidal gold , Fluorescence Immunochromatographic Assay , Molecular,Chemiluminescence Immunoassay, Our TP-Ab Rapid test  easy operation and can get test result in 15 mins

Post time: Aug-15-2025