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STDs (Expert Forum)
afraid
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
Welcome to the STD Forum, which is intended only for questions and support pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases other than HIV/AIDS, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papillomavirus, genital warts, trichomonas, other vaginal infections, nongonoccal urethritis (NGU), cervicitis, molluscum contagiosum, chancroid, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). All questions will be answered by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. or Edward W Hook, MD.
afraid
by SHARLUDEE, Mar 01, 2005 12:00AM
i just wanna add this question, my HIV test is negative but my VDRL result is weak reactive...now, as i read other posted question..i feel so scared and more stressed out..just wanna ask if i am really sure that i am HIV negative..i am really freakin out, i cant stop my mind to worry about my husband.. i m becoming paranoid, please help me... i cant have peace of mind right now.. thank u very much!!! may god bless you..
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Mar 01, 2005 12:00AM
, Mar 01, 2005 12:00AM
I deleted your other question and will respond to both here.
You can rely on the negative HIV test. You do not have HIV. Period.
For those who don't know, VDRL stands for Venereal Disease Research Laboratory, the first institution that later became part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC. The VDRL test is a common screening test for syphilis.
Make sure your weakly reactive VDRL was confirmed positive. All positive VDRL tests require confirmation by a second test. If that was done and it was positive, then you have been infected with syphilis. (Exception: certain other infections that are now nonexistent in the U.S. but still an issue in some parts of the world can also cause positive syphilis blood tests.) The weak response in your test probably means you no longer have an active infection, i.e. your immune system has controlled it. It also suggests that you were infected a long time ago. But if you never were treated for syphilis, there is a small chance the infection will reactivate someday, perhaps with serious consequences.
Don't panic about this. If you have syphilis, it is curable with penicillin. Follow up with your healthc are provider and follow his/her advice.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You can rely on the negative HIV test. You do not have HIV. Period.
For those who don't know, VDRL stands for Venereal Disease Research Laboratory, the first institution that later became part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC. The VDRL test is a common screening test for syphilis.
Make sure your weakly reactive VDRL was confirmed positive. All positive VDRL tests require confirmation by a second test. If that was done and it was positive, then you have been infected with syphilis. (Exception: certain other infections that are now nonexistent in the U.S. but still an issue in some parts of the world can also cause positive syphilis blood tests.) The weak response in your test probably means you no longer have an active infection, i.e. your immune system has controlled it. It also suggests that you were infected a long time ago. But if you never were treated for syphilis, there is a small chance the infection will reactivate someday, perhaps with serious consequences.
Don't panic about this. If you have syphilis, it is curable with penicillin. Follow up with your healthc are provider and follow his/her advice.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
