What Does an RPR-Reactive Syphilis Test Mean?
Last Updated Apr 17, 2020 11:59:43 PM ET
The University of Rochester Medical Center states that an RPR-reactivesyphilis test means there are antibodies for syphilis in the blood. A diagnostic test for the disease is typically given after a reactive result. A negative or "nonreactive" test means that the patient does not have syphilis.
URMC explains that a follow-up test screens for false-positive results, which sometimes occur with pregnancy, IV drug use, chronic liver disease and other infections. The RPR, rapid plasma reagin, test does not search for syphilis bacteria in the blood. Instead, it finds antibodies that a person's immune system has produced in response to the bacteria. The test is also used to assess how well treatment is progressing in a person with syphilis.
More From Reference
10 Small Business Grants for Women Entrepreneurs
What Is the Federal Minimum Wage?
What Is the Financial Independence, Retire Early Movement — and Has the Pandemic Changed It?
4 Investing Lessons We Can Learn From Warren Buffett's Stock Portfolio
Here's How a Pre-IPO Investment Helps You Fund Startups
Where to Buy Cryptocurrency: A Guide for Beginners