Incidence of Positive VDRL in the Second Antenatal Screening for Syphilis at Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University

Abstract

Background and Objective: To determine the incidence of positive result (reactive VDRL) in the second antenatal screening for syphilis in pregnant women who delivered at Srinagarind Hospital.

Methods : A retrospective descriptive study was conducted at  Srinagarind Hospital , Khon Kaen University. All of the mothers had two antenatal Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) screening tests and delivered babies during January 1, 2003 - December 31, 2007  were included in this study. Result of VDRL test , maternal and neonatal outcomes were analyzed.

Results : In the total number of 13,527 pregnant women delivered at Srinagarind Hospital during the study period, 627 cases had no data of VDRL screening. Only 12,900 medical records were analyzed and 12,652 pregnant women had two VDRL screening tests. Forty-five cases were positive for VDRL screening either in first or second screening. Thirty-two  in 45 cases were positive for the first VDRL screening and, therefore, were excluded from this study. The 12,620 pregnant women who had negative VDRL screening in the first time were recruited. The incidence of positive results in the second antenatal syphilis infection screening was 0.1 % (13 in 12,620 cases).  In addition, 0.02 % (2 in12, 620 cases) had positive confirmatory Treponema pallidum Hemagglutination  Antibody ( TPHA) test.

Conclusion: Incidence of positive results in the second antenatal screening for syphilis who had negative results in the first antenatal screening was very low.

Key words : VDRL, syphilis in pregnancy, TPHA test