Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) Test

The Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test is a blood test used to detect syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It measures antibodies produced in response to the infection rather than the bacteria itself. This test is commonly used for screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of syphilis treatment.

A positive VDRL test may indicate a current or past syphilis infection, but false positives can occur due to autoimmune diseases, tuberculosis, malaria, or pregnancy. A negative result typically means no syphilis infection, but early-stage infections may not be detected, requiring a repeat test or confirmation with a Treponema-specific test (e.g., TPHA or FTA-ABS).