CaptiaTM Syphilis IgG EIA
Blood should be collected in a plastic, sterile STD Program approved collection tube. Please follow the manufacturer's instructions on clot time and centrifuge speed/time requirements.
The Syphilis Serology Lab 16 form must be filled out completely. The following information must be included on the form:
Speciments should be shipped refrigerated (2-8ºC). Specimens can be stored for up to 5 days at 2-8ºC. For longer storage, specimens must be frozen at -10ºC or colder. Frozen specimens must be shipped on dry ice and received at a temperature of -10ºC or colder.
Results from the Syphilis IgG EIA should be considered in the context of all available clinical and laboratory data. A non-reactive result does not preclude the possibility of a very recent infection (within the last 2-3 weeks) or an old successfully cured infection (for examples > 10 years previous). Syphilis IgG EIA may be reactive with sera from patients with Yaws or Pinta. Detection of treponemal antibodies may indicate recent, past, or successfully treated syphilis infection, therefore, the test cannot be used to differentiate between active and cured cases. Any sera giving reactive or equivocal results must be supplemented with a quantitative non treponemal test (such as RPR or VDRL) to distinguish active disease and assist in ruling out false positive. The Syphilis IgG EIA is a treponemal assay; therefore patients with previously treated syphilis will be positive on the assay. AIDS patients with impaired immunity and who are coinfected with syphilis may react falsely nonreactive in treponemal and nontreponemal tests. Reactive treponemal IgG antibody tests usually remain reactive for a lifetime; therefore the presence of antibody cannot be used to determine response to therapy.
