O3-S1.03 Performance of reverse sequence syphilis screening in Jamaica

Background Algorithms for syphilis serologic testing traditionally have relied on screening with a non-treponemal test, such as the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test or the toluidine red unheated serum test (TRUST) followed by confirmation using a treponemal test, such as Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TP-PA). To reduce time, material and labour costs, many laboratories, including at the Comprehensive Health Centre in Kingston, Jamaica, have reversed the sequence testing first with a rapid treponemal test followed by non-treponemal testing of reactive sera. Methods In a survey of STIs among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Jamaica, syphilis serologic testing is currently conducted using an initial rapid treponemal SD Bioline Syphilis 3.0 test followed by TRUST for reactive sera. Discordant sera that are Bioline-positive and TRUST-negative, or sera with TRUST titres < or =8 undergo supplemental testing by TP-PA. SD Bioline was previously validated in the field and reference laboratory in Jamaica and is 95.2% sensitive and 93.5% specific compared to TP-PA. Here we report the results from sera obtained from 135 MSM in Kingston between December 2010 and February 2011. Results Among 135 sera evaluated using the reverse syphilis screening sequence, 13 (9.6%) had a positive rapid treponemal test. Among these 13 reactive sera, 6 (46.2%) were nonreactive with TRUST. All discordant sera were also reactive by TP-PA, indicating that initial rapid testing did not produce false-positives in this setting. The proportion of discordant syphilis test results was similar among HIV+ and HIV- men. The prevalence of primary syphilis detected by concordant positive treponemal and non-treponemal tests in this survey was 5.2%, compared to 5.3% in a previous survey conducted in this population during 2007–2008 using the traditional screening sequence. Conclusions The prevalence of primary syphilis among MSM in Kingston has not changed since the previous survey. In the current survey using the reverse screening sequence, nearly half of sera that were reactive with the treponemal test produced discordant results with the non-treponemal test. Such results are consistent with previous syphilis infection, treated or untreated, or early primary syphilis in which non-treponemal antibodies have yet to develop. Distinguishing these possibilities requires detailed history and clinical assessment in addition to serologic test results.