<prompt> Confirmatory test for Syphilis is: September 2010 March 2013VDRLRapid plasma reagin testFT-ABSAll of the above  <response>: Ans. C: FT-ABS T. pallidum cannot be grown in vitro Diagnostic tests for syphilis: Tests include serologic tests for syphilis STS, which consist of screening reaginic and confirmatory treponemal tests, and dark field microscopy. Reaginic tests use lipid antigens cardiolipin from bovine heas to detect reagin human antibodies that bind to lipids. The Venereal Disease Research Laboratory VDRL and rapid plasma reagin RPR tests are sensitive, simple, and inexpensive reaginic tests that are used for screening but are not specific for syphilis. Results may be presented qualitatively e.g., reactive, weakly reactive, borderline, or nonreactive and quantitatively as titers e.g., positive at 1:16 dilution. Many disorders other than treponemal infections e.g., SLE, antiphospholipid antibody syndromes can produce a positive biologically false-positive reagin test result. CSF reaginic tests are reasonably sensitive for early disease but less so for late neurosyphilis. CSF reagin tests can be used to diagnose neurosyphilis or to monitor response to treatment by measuring antibody titers. Treponemal tests detect antitreponemal antibodies qualitatively and are very specific for syphilis. They include the following: - Fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption FTA-ABS test - Microhemagglutination assay for antibodies to T. pallidum MHA-TP T. pallidum hemagglutination assay TPHA 