I hope I'm not being thick but have a question concerning the VDRL. Does the lab fully identify the syphillis bacteria, or could it be misdiagnosed owing to Lyme and Yaws being of a similar type of bacteria? Would a serelogical test for lyme return positive if you have syphillis?
Hello,
Thank you very much for your post.
In case of an infection with syphilis, the serology for specific antibodies (IgG and IgM) will be positive, as well as VDRL and TPHA, and there would be no possibility of confusing it with Lyme's disease, infection trasmitted by ticks and caused by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdoferi, as this would be diagnosed with a positive specific antibody (IgG and IgM) against this bacteria. In the case of Yaws or treponema pertenue, the diagnosis would be made mainly clinically; it is an extremely rare tropical infection with different symptoms to syphilis and blood tests would also show a positive VDRL and TPHA. The treatment of yaws and syphilis would be the same antibiotics. A positive VDRL without the typical symptoms of yaws and without travel to a tropical area of the world, would always be syphilis. therefore no need to worry about that possibility of misdiagnosis.
Best wishes,
José
Syphillis, Lyme and Yaws
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