Pretest temperature effects on CAP syphilis serology survey samples.

Area of Science:

• Clinical diagnostics
• Serological testing
• Laboratory medicine

Background:

• Participants in the College of American Pathologists syphilis serology survey question sample stability due to potential temperature extremes during shipping.
• Ensuring the reliability of syphilis serological tests is crucial for accurate diagnosis and patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of temperature variations on the stability and reactivity of syphilis serology survey samples.
• To determine the temperature thresholds that affect the performance of rapid plasma reagin and FTA-ABS tests.

Main Methods:

• Samples were subjected to short-term pretest incubations at various temperatures, including extremes above 58°C and below -80°C.
• Reactivity of rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody Absorption (FTA-ABS) tests was assessed after temperature exposure.

Main Results:

• Short-term exposure to temperatures exceeding 58°C (136.4°F) typically resulted in a decrease in reactivity for both RPR and FTA-ABS tests.
• No significant changes in reactivity were observed for either test when samples were exposed to temperatures ranging from -80°C to 58°C.

Conclusions:

• Syphilis serology samples exhibit stability within a broad temperature range (-80°C to 58°C) for short-term exposures.
• Temperatures above 58°C pose a risk to the integrity of syphilis serological test results, potentially leading to false negatives.