Congenital syphilis screening

• Nontreponemal tests commonly used for initial screening include:
  • Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL)
  • Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR)

If screening tests are positive confirmatory tests should be done

• Confirmatory tests include:
  • Fluorescent treponemal antibody absorbed (FTA-ABS)
  • Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA)

• Most organizations recommend testing high-risk women again during the third trimester and at delivery.
  Groups at increased risk include:
  • Uninsured women
  • Women living in poverty
  • Sex workers
  • Illicit drug users
  • Those diagnosed with other sexually transmitted diseases (STD)
  • Other women living in communities with high syphilis morbidity