Treponema Pallidum

This study will evaluate the clinical performance of two investigational diagnostic kits developed by ALPCO: the Syphilis-T CLIA Kit and the Syphilis-NT CLIA Kit. These kits are designed to detect antibodies to Treponema pallidum and non-treponemal lipoidal antigens, respectively, in human serum and plasma using the automated KleeYa platform. The study will collect and analyze blood samples from individuals suspected of having syphilis, those at high risk, HIV-positive patients, pregnant individuals, and healthy controls. The aim is to determine the kits' Positive Percent Agreement (PPA) and Negative Percent Agreement (NPA) compared to established reference assays.

Due to the recent resurgence of infectious syphilis in Canada and the changing epidemiology of the disease to involve heterosexuals and females of child bearing age leading to a record number of congenital syphilis cases and stillbirths, the demand of a rapid test such as POCT that can be used at the place and time that front-line public health workers meet the at risk population is getting louder. Indeed during a number of federal, provincial and territorial meetings on the control of syphilis outbreaks in Canada, requests for POCT to detect syphilis infections have repeatedly come up. However, before a POCT can be widely used, research to find out if it is accurate and reliable is necessary. This study is designed to test the performance of the MedMira Inc. Multiplo® Complete Syphilis (TP/nTP) Antibody Test (POCT) (MedMira Inc., Halifax, Nova Scotia) in an urban clinic (Sexual Health Clinic) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and compare its performance in parallel with the usual testing method (the gold standard, i.e. conventional syphilis serology testing).