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Evaluation of a Rapid Syphilis Test in an Emergency Department Setting in Detroit, Michigan.
- Source :
-
Sexually Transmitted Diseases . Jul2019, Vol. 46 Issue 7, p429-433. 5p. - Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- <bold>Background: </bold>Syphilis transmission can be prevented by prompt diagnosis and treatment of primary and secondary infection. We evaluated the performance of a point-of-care rapid syphilis treponemal (RST) test in an emergency department (ED) setting.<bold>Methods: </bold>Between June 2015 and April 2016, men aged 18 to 34 years seeking services in a Detroit ED, and with no history of syphilis, were screened for syphilis with the RST test, rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test, and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination assay (TP-PA). A positive reference standard was both a reactive RPR and a reactive TP-PA. We compared test results in self-reported men who have sex with men (MSM) to non-MSM.<bold>Results: </bold>Among 965 participants, 10.9% of RST tests were reactive in MSM and only 1.5% in non-MSM (P < 0.001). Sensitivity of the RST test was 76.9% and specificity was 99.0% (positive predictive value, 50.0%) compared with the positive reference standard. Three discordant specimens found negative with the RST test but positive with the reference standard had an RPR titer of 1:1, compared with 10 specimens with concordant positive results that had a median RPR titer of 1:16. The RST sensitivity was 50.0% (positive predictive value, 68.4%) compared to the TP-PA test alone. Among men seeking care in an ED, the RST detected 76.9% of participants with a reactive RPR and TP-PA.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>The RST test detected all of the participants with an RPR titer ≥1:2 but less than 20% of participants with a positive TP-PA and negative RPR. The RST test was useful to detect a high proportion of participants with an active syphilis in an urban ED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01485717
- Volume :
- 46
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 137073872
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000993