Authors: Oyinloye Olabimpe Oluwabusayo, Adeniyi Augustine Adebayo, Awoyinka Babatunde Sunday, Oyekale Oluwalana Timothy, Adewara Olumide Emmanuel, Adebara Idowu Oluseyi, Bakare Adewumi, Adeyemo Timothy Olabisi, Ayankunle Mojisola Olumide.
Background: The rapid treponemal specific test such as immunochromatographic (ICS) test is being recommended as a point of care (POC) test as alternative to the non-specific Treponemal test such as Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) commonly used in most developing countries.
Objectives: To determine the yields of the ICS test for syphilis among pregnant women. Method: This was a crosssectional study. One hundred and sixty consecutive pregnant women who satisfied the inclusion criteria were recruited into the study. Blood samples obtained from respondents were tested for the presence of Treponema pallidum antibodies using both, Diaspot®syphilis ultra-rapid test kit and MAST-TPHATM TPHA (Treponema pallidum Haemaglutination Assay) test.
Results: Out of the 160 pregnant women studied, 4 (2.5%) were sero-reactive for syphilis using the Treponema pallidum haemmaglutination assay (TPHA) while only 2 (1.25%) were sero-reactive to syphilis using the (immunochromatographic screening) ICS method of screening. The sensitivity of the ICS method in detecting syphilis infection was 50% (95% CI: 6.76% – 93.24%) whereas it was 100% specific for syphilis (95% CI: 97.66% -100%). The Positive Predictive Value of the ICS for syphilis screening was 100% while its Negative Predictive value was 98.73% (95% CI: 96.70% – 99.52%). There was no statistically significant difference in the yield of a positive syphilis serology test result comparing the rapid immunochromatographic screening test with the TPHA (P= 0.479).
Conclusion: The rapid immunochromatographic screening test (ICS) for syphilis is highly specific and compares favorably with TPHA test in excluding syphilis infection but has a lower sensitivity.
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