False positive analysis of syphilis antibody in the elderly

Objective To explore the application of serological detection of Treponema pallidum antibody in the diagnosis of syphilis infection in the elderly, and to analyze the causes of high positive rate of syphilis in the elderly. Methods Part of patients who came to our hospital were screened by RPR syphilis test, and the positive results were confirmed by TPPA method. The results were statistically analyzed according to different age groups. Results The positive rate of syphilis was 3.2% in the aged group over 60 years old and 1.2% in the young and middle-aged group, with statistically significant difference (P<0.05); the false positive rate was 0.6% in the aged group over 60 years old and 0.1% in the young group, with statistically significant difference (P<0.05). Conclusions TPPA is a stable and reliable method for serological detection of syphilis. The positive results of syphilis serological test in the elderly caused by various reasons are on the high side. It is necessary to make a comprehensive clinical analysis and treat the test results with caution. Key words: Treponema pallidum; Elderly; Serological detection