Syphilis Diagnosed Quickly and Easily Worldwide

A point-of-care test that is accurate, fast, flexible, and easy to use helps control, through rapid diagnosis and treatment, the threat of syphilis in even the most remote areas of the world.

With more than 12 million new cases of syphilis being diagnosed annually worldwide, it remains a serious public health threat. Although 90% of cases are in the developing world, incidences of the disease are rising rapidly in Europe and North America. If left untreated, syphilis can become chronic, eventually leading to irreversible damage to the heart and nervous system.

Rapid point-of-care tests for syphilis is one of the main priorities World Health Organization's (WHO, Geneva, Switzerland) Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Diagnostics Initiative (SDI). The SDI is promoting the development and evaluation of rapid diagnostic tests that are affordable, highly sensitive and specific, simple to use, rapid, robust, and equipment free.

Traditional methods of detecting and diagnosing syphilis have a number of disadvantages. Obtaining patient samples can be uncomfortable and inconvenient, some methods are susceptible to false-positives, others require confirmatory tests and many procedures need laboratory equipment and trained staff--two things that are often lacking in many areas of the world where 90% of syphilis cases occur.

Rapid testing, diagnosis and treatment can not only help pregnant women but also identify and treat other patients with suspicious clinical lesions, which aids healthcare workers in reducing the risk of syphilis and other STIs spreading amongst their patient communities.

Determine Syphilis from Inverness Medical (Waltham, MA, USA) provides results in just 15 minutes, ensuring that diagnosis and commencement of treatment can occur in the same visit. A simple one-step procedure for serum/plasma, or two-step for whole blood, Determine Syphilis Treponema pallidum (TP) is very easy to use and interpret, requiring minimal training. In clinical trials it demonstrated excellent sensitivity using serum and high accuracy using whole blood and paired serum and plasma.



Related Links:
World Health Organization
Inverness Medical