False Positive Reaction to VDRL Test with Prozone Phenomenon in a Case of Lepromatous Leprosy

Abstract The venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) test, a nontreponemal test for syphilis, may under a certain set of conditions give false positive results in patients who are not infected with Treponema pallidum. A false positive reaction is defined as a positive reaction to nontreponemal t...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rohit Chawla, Preeti Thakur, Atul Mohan Kochhar, Sumeet Singla
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2022-01-01
Series:MAMC Journal of Medical Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mamcjms.in/article.asp?issn=2394-7438;year=2022;volume=8;issue=2;spage=158;epage=162;aulast=Chawla
_version_ 1811277116191277056
author Rohit Chawla
Preeti Thakur
Atul Mohan Kochhar
Sumeet Singla
author_facet Rohit Chawla
Preeti Thakur
Atul Mohan Kochhar
Sumeet Singla
author_sort Rohit Chawla
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) test, a nontreponemal test for syphilis, may under a certain set of conditions give false positive results in patients who are not infected with Treponema pallidum. A false positive reaction is defined as a positive reaction to nontreponemal tests, and a negative reaction to treponemal tests, in the serum of a patient who has no history or clinical evidence of syphilis or other treponematosis. A prozone phenomenon in nontreponemal tests is seen largely with secondary syphilis due to high-titer samples that show nonreactive results unless the specimens are diluted. We report here perhaps the first case of lepromatous leprosy, which had a false positive reaction to the VDRL test with the prozone phenomenon. The case initially presented to the outpatient clinic with complaints of epistaxis with nasal stuffiness. The finding of septal perforation on nasal endoscopy is what led to the initial suspicion of syphilis and the subsequent syphilis workup. It was only when the false positive reaction to VDRL test with the prozone phenomenon was noted that the search for other causes was made, which eventually lead to the diagnosis of lepromatous leprosy.
first_indexed 2024-04-13T00:11:04Z
format Article
id doaj.art-18481ad252e34ce69805bc2408fb338e
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2394-7438
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-13T00:11:04Z
publishDate 2022-01-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series MAMC Journal of Medical Sciences
spelling doaj.art-18481ad252e34ce69805bc2408fb338e2022-12-22T03:11:06ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsMAMC Journal of Medical Sciences2394-74382022-01-018215816210.4103/mamcjms.mamcjms_12_21False Positive Reaction to VDRL Test with Prozone Phenomenon in a Case of Lepromatous LeprosyRohit ChawlaPreeti ThakurAtul Mohan KochharSumeet SinglaAbstract The venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) test, a nontreponemal test for syphilis, may under a certain set of conditions give false positive results in patients who are not infected with Treponema pallidum. A false positive reaction is defined as a positive reaction to nontreponemal tests, and a negative reaction to treponemal tests, in the serum of a patient who has no history or clinical evidence of syphilis or other treponematosis. A prozone phenomenon in nontreponemal tests is seen largely with secondary syphilis due to high-titer samples that show nonreactive results unless the specimens are diluted. We report here perhaps the first case of lepromatous leprosy, which had a false positive reaction to the VDRL test with the prozone phenomenon. The case initially presented to the outpatient clinic with complaints of epistaxis with nasal stuffiness. The finding of septal perforation on nasal endoscopy is what led to the initial suspicion of syphilis and the subsequent syphilis workup. It was only when the false positive reaction to VDRL test with the prozone phenomenon was noted that the search for other causes was made, which eventually lead to the diagnosis of lepromatous leprosy.http://www.mamcjms.in/article.asp?issn=2394-7438;year=2022;volume=8;issue=2;spage=158;epage=162;aulast=Chawlafalse positive reactionlepromatous leprosyprozone phenomenonvenereal disease research laboratory test
spellingShingle Rohit Chawla
Preeti Thakur
Atul Mohan Kochhar
Sumeet Singla
False Positive Reaction to VDRL Test with Prozone Phenomenon in a Case of Lepromatous Leprosy
MAMC Journal of Medical Sciences
false positive reaction
lepromatous leprosy
prozone phenomenon
venereal disease research laboratory test
title False Positive Reaction to VDRL Test with Prozone Phenomenon in a Case of Lepromatous Leprosy
title_full False Positive Reaction to VDRL Test with Prozone Phenomenon in a Case of Lepromatous Leprosy
title_fullStr False Positive Reaction to VDRL Test with Prozone Phenomenon in a Case of Lepromatous Leprosy
title_full_unstemmed False Positive Reaction to VDRL Test with Prozone Phenomenon in a Case of Lepromatous Leprosy
title_short False Positive Reaction to VDRL Test with Prozone Phenomenon in a Case of Lepromatous Leprosy
title_sort false positive reaction to vdrl test with prozone phenomenon in a case of lepromatous leprosy
topic false positive reaction
lepromatous leprosy
prozone phenomenon
venereal disease research laboratory test
url http://www.mamcjms.in/article.asp?issn=2394-7438;year=2022;volume=8;issue=2;spage=158;epage=162;aulast=Chawla
work_keys_str_mv AT rohitchawla falsepositivereactiontovdrltestwithprozonephenomenoninacaseoflepromatousleprosy
AT preetithakur falsepositivereactiontovdrltestwithprozonephenomenoninacaseoflepromatousleprosy
AT atulmohankochhar falsepositivereactiontovdrltestwithprozonephenomenoninacaseoflepromatousleprosy
AT sumeetsingla falsepositivereactiontovdrltestwithprozonephenomenoninacaseoflepromatousleprosy