The at-home syphilis test kit contains everything you need to provide a small blood sample for analysis at our partner lab, so they can check for the presence of syphilis antibodies in your blood. Antibodies are a type of protein made by your immune system if you have been infected by a bacterium or virus, like those that cause syphilis.

Syphilis is a type of sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It can be passed on during unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

There are 4 main stages of syphilis:

1. Primary syphilis – This stage happens between 2 and 12 weeks after infection and causes a smooth, hard sore to develop on your genitals or in your mouth called a chancre. The sore can disappear, but if you do not receive treatment, syphilis can progress to the next stage. You can pass it on to others during the primary stage of infection.
2. Secondary syphilis – Occurs about 1 to 3 months after the syphilis sore disappears and results in a rough, bumpy rash all over your body, including your palms and the soles of your feet. You may also get other symptoms like flu-like symptoms, hair loss, kidney or nerve issues, and swollen glands.
3. Latent syphilis – If you do not receive treatment during the first 2 stages, the infection moves on to the latent stage during which there can be no symptoms for some people.
4. Late (tertiary) stage syphilis – 20 to 40 years after infection, between 25 and 40% of people with untreated syphilis progress onto this stage, which can cause severe symptoms, including heart disease, brain damage, seizures, and vision problems.

If it is not treated, syphilis can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening issues, so it is important to get a syphilis test if you think you may have been infected.

The syphilis test kit is suitable for anyone who is sexually active and may have come into contact with an infected person. It can be used by both men and women, and it only requires a small sample of blood for testing.

You should consider a syphilis home test if you:

• have had sex with a new partner and did not use a condom
• have had unprotected sex with someone who may have syphilis
• have been told by a sexual partner that they have syphilis
• are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, and think you might have syphilis
• have injected drugs using a needle that someone with syphilis has shared

You should wait 3 months after sexual contact with someone who may have syphilis before doing a syphilis test for the most accurate result. If you get syphilis symptoms or want to test sooner, you can, but if you get a negative result, you will need to have another test.

Can you test too early for syphilis?

Yes, you can test too early for syphilis if you test within 12 weeks of exposure and do not have any symptoms. If you test before 12 weeks, you may need to repeat the test after 12 weeks have passed since you had unprotected sex with someone who has syphilis. If you have a syphilis sore, called a chancre, you should get a test straight away.

How often should you test for syphilis?

If you are sexually active, you should do a syphilis test once a year. You should also test yourself:

• every 3 months, if you have multiple partners or a new partner
• when you change partners
• after having unprotected sex
• if you have symptoms

Can a person test positive for syphilis after 1 week?

It is unlikely that a blood test, including our at-home syphilis test, will detect a syphilis infection after 1 week. It can take up to 3 months after being infected with syphilis for it to show up on a blood test.

The at-home syphilis test requires a small blood sample, which is taken using a finger-prick device called a lancet. Each kit contains everything you need to provide your sample and post it back to our partner lab for testing.

Before you take the syphilis test, you should fill out the blood collection tube label and note the postage tracking number for your reference.

Ideally, you should collect your blood sample from the side of your middle or ring finger.

How to test for syphilis

To use the syphilis home test, you will need to:

1. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water and dry them thoroughly with a clean towel.
2. Using an alcohol swab, clean your chosen finger, then wipe it dry with a clean tissue.
3. Remove one of the lancets from the bag and twist to remove the blue stick. The lancet is now ready for use.
4. Place the lancet against the side of your finger and press firmly against the skin until you hear a click.
5. A small drop of blood should form where the needle punctured your skin. Wipe away the first drop of blood with a tissue.
6. Holding your hand downwards, massage from your hand down to your finger, without squeezing, to encourage blood flow.
7. Firmly massage your hand and finger to help the blood drop into the blood collection tube.
8. Fill the collection tube to the upper line.
9. Once you have filled the tube, stop collecting. Clean your finger with a clean, moist wipe, and dry it with a tissue. Apply the spot plaster to stop the bleeding. Then, push the cap of the blood collection tube until you hear a click to confirm it is sealed.
10. Gently invert the tube 5 to 10 times.
11. Apply the label to the collection tube.
12. Place the sample into the transport pouch.
13. Peel the adhesive strip and fold over the top flap, and seal firmly.
14. Post the envelope with your sample to our partner laboratory.

The home syphilis test looks for antibodies in your blood which suggest you have been infected. It is highly accurate with a clinical sensitivity of 99.6%*, meaning the chance of a false negative result is less than 1%.

* statistics provided by our partner laboratory: The Doctors Laboratory (TDL)

Is the home syphilis test as accurate as an in-person test?

Yes, the high-quality home syphilis tests are as accurate as in-person clinic tests because they use the lab analysis tools, as long as you take the test correctly and follow the instructions given.

Once our partner lab receives your sample, you can expect your results within 72 hours. You will get your results confidentially via your patient account. You will get an email letting you know when your results are available to view. We will never email or text you your results.

When you get your syphilis test results, you will either receive a positive or a negative result. One of our doctors will review your results and advise you on what to do next, including how to get treatment if needed.

What does a negative test result mean?

A negative test result means that there was no evidence of a syphilis infection in your blood at the time you took your sample.

If you took the syphilis home test too early, usually before 3 months since you were exposed to the infection, you may need to repeat the test 12 weeks after a potential exposure to make sure you do not have syphilis.

What does a positive test result mean?

If you have received a positive syphilis test result, it means that there were signs of syphilis in your blood sample and that it is highly likely you have the infection. If you have received a positive test result, our doctors will advise you about what to do next, as you may need treatment. Superdrug Online Doctor does not offer syphilis treatment, but you can get it from your local sexual health clinic or by making an appointment with your doctor.

What does a false positive result mean?

Sometimes, an at-home syphilis test will detect antibodies for another infection and mistake them for syphilis. Although it is rare, you may receive a positive syphilis test result when you do not have the infection. To confirm a diagnosis, you should repeat the test later.

Do I need to contact my sexual partners if I test positive for syphilis?

Yes, if you can, you should contact your sexual partners and let them know you have tested positive for syphilis. The infection is easily spread, so you may have given it to someone else if you have had sex with them. Equally, they may have passed the infection on to you without realising they had it. Letting your partner(s) know you have syphilis means they can get a syphilis test for themselves and receive treatment quickly.

Syphilis is commonly passed on by having unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal sex with someone who has the infection. It is spread by touching an ulcer on an infected person's penis, vagina, anus, or inside their mouth.

You can also pass syphilis on:

• during pregnancy to an unborn baby, known as congenital syphilis
• by injecting drugs using shared needles

Common symptoms of syphilis

The symptoms of syphilis include:

• ulcers on your penis, vagina, or anus
• sores on your hands, lips, or in your mouth
• white or grey wart-like growths on your penis, vagina, or around your anus
• a rash on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet
• white patches in your mouth
• flu-like symptoms
• swollen glands
• patchy hair loss

When do you start to see symptoms?

It can take 3 or more weeks for syphilis symptoms to appear after you have been infected. Some people may not have symptoms, or their symptoms may get better or go away completely, but if you have not been treated, the infection will still be in your body, so you can pass it on

What are the early signs of syphilis?

One of the first signs of a syphilis infection is a small, hard, round, and painless sore called a chancre. Chancres can appear on the penis, vagina, anus, or in the mouth 10 days to 3 months after you have been infected. They usually go away on their own within 3 to 8 weeks, but you will need treatment to clear the infection from your body.

How accurate is an at-home syphilis test?

The at-home syphilis test provided by Superdrug Online Doctor has a clinical sensitivity of 99.6%*, which means there’s only a 0.4% chance of getting a false negative result.

Do I need to fast before testing?

No, the at-home syphilis test from Superdrug Online Doctor requires a blood sample to check for antibodies, and what you eat or drink will not usually affect the result. It’s a good idea to drink plenty of water before collecting your sample, and this can make it easier to provide a blood sample.

Can the test detect all stages of syphilis?

No, the at-home syphilis test is a screening tool that is designed to detect antibodies which indicate that you have the infection. It is not designed to tell you which stage of syphilis you have. If you receive a positive result, you will need to visit a sexual health clinic or make an appointment with your GP, who will carry out further tests, which may help to determine the stage of your infection.

What if I have had syphilis before?

If you have had syphilis before, you will still need another course of antibiotics if you get syphilis again. Receiving treatment does not make you immune to getting syphilis again. It is important to test regularly, usually yearly, but some people may need a syphilis test every 3 months, so you can get early treatment if you do get the infection again.

Is syphilis 100% curable?

Yes, syphilis is curable if you get treatment from a doctor or a sexual health clinic however this won’t reverse any damage already done in the body. The usual treatment is an injection of penicillin if you have primary, secondary, or early latent stages of syphilis. For later stages, you may need one shot of penicillin each week for 3 weeks.