FALSE POSITIVE SYPHILIS SEROLOGY (WR / VDRL)

transient / acute false positive reaction [< 6 months; biological false positive]:

infections:

EBV

hepatitis A

mumps

yaws and pinta

varicella-zoster

viral pneumonia

mycoplasma

measles

subacute bacterial endocarditis

leptospirosis

herpes simplex

filariasis

malaria

trypanosomiasis

immunisation against typhoid or yellow fever

persistent false positive [> 6 months]:

autoimmune diseases:

systemic lupus erythematosus

rheumatoid arthritis

Sjögren's syndrome

autoimmune haemolytic anaemia

autoimmune thyroiditis / Hashimoto's

1° antiphospholipid syndrome

other:

leprosy

pregnancy

old age

malignancy

malnutrition

drug addiction

chronic active hepatitis / cirrhosis

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