THE The FDA recently approved a home syphilis test which can give initial results in just 15 minutes. Syphilis has been on the rise in recent years with the number of cases expected to increase by 80% between 2018 and 2022 alone. There has also been an alarming increase in the number of babies born with syphilis, suggesting that many women are not being tested during pregnancy. Public health experts agree that additional syphilis testing options are a good first step in both prevention and treatment.
Syphilis is caused by bacteria Trembling pale. The first symptom of infection is usually a painless sore called a chancre that appears on the penis, scrotum, vulva, vagina, or anus. Syphilis is spread when another person comes into contact with these sores during oral, anal, or vaginal sex. It can also be passed from a pregnant woman to her baby during pregnancy or childbirth.
In the early stages, syphilis can be easily treated with antibiotics. If left untreated, the sores will go away but the infection can progress to more advanced stages. Late-stage syphilis—which can appear anywhere from two years to more than twenty years after infection—can cause serious health problems, including damage to the brain, eyes, heart, bones, and joints. Syphilis during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and even infant death. Babies born with syphilis can have lifelong medical problems. This is why screening and testing is so important.
If there are sores, a healthcare provider can take them out and look for syphilis. For people without lesions, however, screening is based on a series of blood tests. The first test looks for certain antibodies in the blood. A negative result on this test usually rules out an active syphilis infection. People who test positive must have a second blood test to confirm the diagnosis. If this test is also positive, your healthcare provider will begin treatment.
Until now, these blood tests were most often done in a health care provider’s office. There are also some tests that allow people to collect a sample of their blood at home and send it to a lab for analysis. This new test, called First to Know, is the first test done entirely at home.
Users prick their finger and place a drop of blood on a test strip. Results are available in 15 minutes. Those who test negative and have no symptoms do not need follow-up. Anyone with symptoms should see a health care provider regardless of these results because they may have a different sexually transmitted infection. Those who test positive should see a health care provider for a second test that can confirm the diagnosis. It is important to note that people who have had syphilis in the past may still be positive on this first test, even if they have been successfully treated and do not have an active infection.
The CDC recommends that men who have sex with men get tested for syphilis at least once a year and get tested every three to six months if they live in areas with a high rate of syphilis, are incarcerated, or have engaged in consensual sex. Similarly, asymptomatic women and men who have sex with women should be screened if they meet the same criteria. Screening is vital for pregnant women.
Dr. Michelle Tarver, the deputy director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, praised the progress science is making in creating new tests that can be done at home. She he said in a statement“Access to home testing can help increase initial screening for syphilis, including for people who may be reluctant to see their health care provider about possible exposure to a sexually transmitted infection. This can lead to increased laboratory testing to confirm the diagnosis, which can lead to increased treatment and a reduction in the spread of infection.”
First to Know is expected to be available in pharmacies from September. It will retail for $29.95 and you won’t need a prescription to get it. Although this is the only test that gives immediate results, there are other ways to test for syphilis that may be free or covered by insurance. See ASHA’s Home STD Testing page for links to free test kit programs and www.yesmeantest.org to find a free or low-cost testing site near you.
