Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Biological False-positive Syphilis Tests
Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Biological False-positive Syphilis Tests
Background The diagnosis of syphilis requires two-step serological testing. Not infrequently, sensitive screening tests are reactive but are not confirmed by more specific confirmatory tests yielding a biological false positive (BFP). This study sought to describe the prevalence of BFP in a large population of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected and uninfected women.
Methods A cross-sectional serosurvey of HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study, a multicentre collaborative study of the natural history of HIV in women.
Results Among HCV-infected women 4% had a BFP compared with 1% among those who were HCV uninfected (odds ratio (OR) 3.3, 95% CI 2.1 to 5.1). Controlling for both HIV infection and a history of intravenous drug use among all tests for syphilis a BFP also occurred more commonly in HCV-infected women compared with HCV-uninfected women (6% vs 1%, OR 7.62, 95% CI 1.9 to 12.5).
Conclusion HCV infection is associated with various effects on immune function including alterations in serological test results. Women with HCV are more likely to have a BFP syphilis test than women without HCV.
Non-specific screening tests for syphilis can yield a biological false positive (BFP), which is associated with lupus, intravenous drug use (IDU) and HIV. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has also been linked with a BFP. We demonstrate this association in a large cohort of HIV-infected and uninfected women.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Background The diagnosis of syphilis requires two-step serological testing. Not infrequently, sensitive screening tests are reactive but are not confirmed by more specific confirmatory tests yielding a biological false positive (BFP). This study sought to describe the prevalence of BFP in a large population of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected and uninfected women.
Methods A cross-sectional serosurvey of HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study, a multicentre collaborative study of the natural history of HIV in women.
Results Among HCV-infected women 4% had a BFP compared with 1% among those who were HCV uninfected (odds ratio (OR) 3.3, 95% CI 2.1 to 5.1). Controlling for both HIV infection and a history of intravenous drug use among all tests for syphilis a BFP also occurred more commonly in HCV-infected women compared with HCV-uninfected women (6% vs 1%, OR 7.62, 95% CI 1.9 to 12.5).
Conclusion HCV infection is associated with various effects on immune function including alterations in serological test results. Women with HCV are more likely to have a BFP syphilis test than women without HCV.
Introduction
Non-specific screening tests for syphilis can yield a biological false positive (BFP), which is associated with lupus, intravenous drug use (IDU) and HIV. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has also been linked with a BFP. We demonstrate this association in a large cohort of HIV-infected and uninfected women.
