Burden of Syphilis Infection and Biological False Positive Reactivity in VDRL test Among Pregnant Females: Insights from a Two- Year Study

Abstract

Background: Syphilis continues to be a significant global health concern, particularly among antenatal women due to its potential adverse outcomes for both the fetus and the mother. The Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test is widely used for screening and diagnosis of syphilis. However, there are concerns about its reliability in antenatal settings since it is known to exhibit false-positive reactivity. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of biological false-positive (BFP) among VDRL-reactive pregnant females. Method: A retrospective analysis of 11,198 VDRL test results from female patients was done over a two-year period, with 3,402 samples obtained from pregnant females and 7,796 samples from non-pregnant females. Result: The results revealed a higher proportion of VDRL reactivity among pregnant females (1.21%) compared to non-pregnant females (0.9%). Statistical analysis did not demonstrate a significant association between VDRL titers and Treponema Pallidum Haemagglutination Assay (TPHA) positivity. Conclusion: Among pregnant females, a substantial proportion of those with lower VDRL titers tested negative for TPHA, indicating the presence of BFP results. These findings underscore the importance of implementing comprehensive testing strategies that combine non-treponemal and treponemal tests to improve the accuracy of syphilis diagnosis, particularly in pregnant populations.

Keywords

• syphilis
• seroprevalence
• vdrl
• biological false positive reactivity
• antenatal females