Aa
syphilis testing & pregnancy
When I became pregnant, my EIA tested reactive for syphilis.The TPPA was reactive and the RPR had no number.I received three doses of pencillin B injections in both hips for three weeks. The blood tests results were the same two weeks after my last treatment.
I don't have a history to contract this disease and my husband (who has been my only sexual partner) has tested negative. The nurses told me they had never seen a test come back with the same results as mine. My doctor thinks I had minimal exposure through mucous membrane contact.
Has anybody had the same experience?
Now I am worried my baby will have this disease despite myself having maximum treatment. This whole experience is very frustrating.
I don't have a history to contract this disease and my husband (who has been my only sexual partner) has tested negative. The nurses told me they had never seen a test come back with the same results as mine. My doctor thinks I had minimal exposure through mucous membrane contact.
Has anybody had the same experience?
Now I am worried my baby will have this disease despite myself having maximum treatment. This whole experience is very frustrating.
Your explanation is helping me put my mind at ease. The nurse I spoke to last made it sound as though the treatment did not work because the TPPA came back reactive and the RPR had no number. (the two week follow-up blood test)
She even went on to suggest I had asymptomatic neurosyphilis and that I should have a LP done. The infectious disease doctor did not mention anything of the sort to me and just said for me to contact her if I develop a fever or any other symptoms.
I will not go back to that clinic again.
She even went on to suggest I had asymptomatic neurosyphilis and that I should have a LP done. The infectious disease doctor did not mention anything of the sort to me and just said for me to contact her if I develop a fever or any other symptoms.
I will not go back to that clinic again.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi there -
If your RPR came back non-reactive, I'd think this could be a false positive, but they were right in treating since you are pregnant. If it is a false positive due to pregnancy, I'd expect the TPPA to come back negative after you deliver. The other possibility is that you had syphilis at one time, and it was treated, and you didn't know. This could be if you had it when you were born from your mother having it. (I don't know you or your mother, so I mean nothing against her.)
They may decide to treat your baby when it's born, just in case, and that's the decision I'd make, just in case, even given the strong likelihood that this is a false pos.
If it's not a false pos, your TPPA may be reactive for life.
Aj
If your RPR came back non-reactive, I'd think this could be a false positive, but they were right in treating since you are pregnant. If it is a false positive due to pregnancy, I'd expect the TPPA to come back negative after you deliver. The other possibility is that you had syphilis at one time, and it was treated, and you didn't know. This could be if you had it when you were born from your mother having it. (I don't know you or your mother, so I mean nothing against her.)
They may decide to treat your baby when it's born, just in case, and that's the decision I'd make, just in case, even given the strong likelihood that this is a false pos.
If it's not a false pos, your TPPA may be reactive for life.
Aj
Thank-you for your response. My RPR came back non-reactive and I was told there was no number.
I just had my 3 month follow-up blood test. Do you know how long it would take for the TPPA to come back nonreactive?
I just had my 3 month follow-up blood test. Do you know how long it would take for the TPPA to come back nonreactive?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi there -
When you say your RPR had no number, does that mean it was non-reactive, or you just weren't given the number? Testing at 2 weeks post treatment doesn't make any difference. To test to see if the treatment has worked (assuming this is an accurate test result), you'd need to see a 4-fold drop in the RPR. This is why numbers are ALWAYS reported - it's how medical professionals monitor treatment. You need to ask for a copy of your RPR.
Has your husband been your only partner ever? If he's negative, and he's your only partner ever, then you have to have a false positive, unless there was a chance your mother had it when you were born.
Pregnancy can cause false positives on a lot of tests, which is why I'd be interested in your RPR result. If both the RPR and TPPR are reactive, then you could indeed have syphilis. If only one is, I'd have to wonder.
AJ
When you say your RPR had no number, does that mean it was non-reactive, or you just weren't given the number? Testing at 2 weeks post treatment doesn't make any difference. To test to see if the treatment has worked (assuming this is an accurate test result), you'd need to see a 4-fold drop in the RPR. This is why numbers are ALWAYS reported - it's how medical professionals monitor treatment. You need to ask for a copy of your RPR.
Has your husband been your only partner ever? If he's negative, and he's your only partner ever, then you have to have a false positive, unless there was a chance your mother had it when you were born.
Pregnancy can cause false positives on a lot of tests, which is why I'd be interested in your RPR result. If both the RPR and TPPR are reactive, then you could indeed have syphilis. If only one is, I'd have to wonder.
AJ
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