There are a lot of things that can cause false positives on the VDRL test. Here is a partial list:
malaria
leptospirosis
leprosy
mononucleosis
lupus
lymphogranuloma venereum
mycoplasmal pneumonia
typhus
cat-scrath fever
hepatitis
periarteritis nodosa
acute viral and bacterial infections
hypersensitivity reactions
recent vaccinations
Obviously, not all of these apply, but I thought I'd put all of them down. This list was taken from Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, 2nd ed.
have you ever been tested + for syphilis before?
a negative vdrl and a + treponemal test means you need a 3rd test to confirm your status. If you have a 2nd + treponemal test, you need to have your provider consult with an infectious disease specialist as to whether to treat or not.
grace
actually you already have been treated so additional testing isn't necessary.
grace