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The incidence of syphilis is on the rise nationally. A rapid screening test would aid immensely in detecting and treating the disease. In December 2014, The Food and Drug Administration approved such a test, the Syphilis Health Check (SHC). This treponemal test uses a finger-stick sample and provides results in 10 minutes. The Florida Department of Health has now evaluated the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of this test compared with standard treponemal and nontreponemal tests used in its Escambia County sexually transmitted diseases clinic between March 11 and April 21, 2016.
A total of 202 patients were screened. All specimens were tested using rapid plasma reagin (RPR), a standard treponemal test (Trep-Sure), and …