Purpose/Principle

Treponema pallidum, the etiological agent of syphilis, induces the production of at least two types of antibodies in human infection: anti-treponemal antibodies that can be detected by FTA-ABS antigen and anti-nontreponemal antibodies (reagin) that can be detected by RPR antigen.

The Sure-Vue RPR rapid card test is a qualitative and semi-quantitative nontreponemal flocculation test used to detect reagin in human serum as a screening procedure for syphilis. The microparticulate carbon RPR antigen used in this rapid test enhances the visual discrimination between reactive and nonreactive results. If present, the reagin-type antibody binds with the antigen that is composed of cardiolipin, lecithin and cholesterol particles with activated charcoal resulting in a REACTIVE macroscopic flocculation. Absence of flocculation indicates the absence of the antibody and is interpreted as a NONREACTIVE result.