At-home syphilis test

What a syphilis test looks for

Over-the-counter syphilis self-tests look for antibodies to Treponema pallidum, the bacterium that causes syphilis. Antibodies can stay detectable after a past, treated infection, so a reactive result always needs clinical follow-up to work out whether treatment is needed now.

Who may consider testing

• You have a painless sore or ulcer on the genitals, anus or mouth.
• You have an unexplained rash, often on the palms or soles.
• A partner has told you they have syphilis.
• You are pregnant or planning a pregnancy — untreated syphilis in pregnancy is serious, and prenatal screening is standard care.
• You test on a routine schedule alongside HIV testing.

How the at-home test works

• Clean a fingertip with the alcohol pad, then use the sterile lancet included in the kit.
• Place one drop of blood onto the test device as the instruction card shows.
• Read the result at home after about 15 minutes.

What the result means

• Reactive: antibodies were detected. This can reflect a current or a past infection. See a clinician — syphilis is curable with antibiotics, and the stage determines the treatment.
• Non-reactive: no antibodies were detected. Very early infection may not yet produce antibodies, so retest if your exposure was recent or symptoms continue.
• Invalid: no control line means the test did not run and cannot be interpreted.

Important limitations

• This is a screening test, not a diagnosis, and it does not stage the infection.
• It cannot tell a current infection apart from a treated past one.
• It does not test for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea or trichomoniasis.
• Sores and rashes have many causes. Severe or worsening symptoms need a clinician now, not a self-test.