A direct, point-of-care test to detect infectious and congenital syphilis
Official title: Development of a Direct Diagnostic Test for Infectious and Congenital Syphilis
Funded at University of Victoria · NIH-11166664 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new diagnostic test is being developed to directly detect active syphilis infections, including congenital cases, and to work at the point of care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Victoria NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Victoria, Canada) |
| Project start | August 9, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $75,363 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI186005-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11166664 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with possible syphilis exposure or symptoms, pregnant people and their newborns at risk for congenital syphilis, or individuals needing confirmation of active versus past infection.
✕Less likely to help
People without suspected syphilis or those needing immediate clinical treatment rather than diagnostic development work may not gain direct benefit from this early-stage project.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers are building a simple test that looks for markers of the syphilis bacterium in blood so it can tell if an infection is current or from the past. The team aims for high sensitivity and specificity across early, late, and congenital disease and wants the test to tell syphilis apart from related infections like yaws. Development will use blood plasma/serum samples and laboratory methods to identify antigens or antibodies and refine algorithms for staging. The final goal is a version that can be used at clinics or in remote settings for rapid, easy-to-read results.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this test could give faster, more accurate diagnoses, help guide timely treatment, and reduce transmission including congenital infections.
How similar studies have gone: Existing treponemal and non-treponemal tests and some molecular methods partially work but cannot reliably distinguish active versus past or congenital infections, so this project builds on prior approaches but aims for a more definitive, point-of-care solution.
Where this research is happening
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University of Victoria
Victoria, Canada Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cameron, Caroline E — University of Victoria
- Study coordinator: Cameron, Caroline E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Syphilis in Pregnancy: Understanding Infection in Moms and Babies
A study following pregnant women with syphilis and their babies to learn how the infection affects pregnancy and newborn health.
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Syphilis in Pregnancy: Molecular Tests and Immune Responses in Mom and Baby
A study to understand how syphilis affects pregnancy and newborns by using molecular tests and tracking immune responses in 750 pregnant women with syphilis and their babies.
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Crowdsourced digital messaging to boost syphilis and HIV testing for women in NYC and rural Alabama
A community-driven project tests whether crowdsourced digital messages can encourage women, especially women of color and Native American women, to get syphilis, HIV, and STI tests.
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Preventing syphilis in pregnant people in Rio de Janeiro
A clinical trial in Brazil tests a pregnancy-safe antibiotic plan to stop syphilis from affecting babies.
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Cefixime vs Penicillin G for Early Syphilis in HIV and non-HIV patients
This project compares a cefixime-based treatment to standard penicillin for early syphilis in people with and without HIV.
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Preventing congenital syphilis in pregnant people at risk in Rio de Janeiro
A clinical trial will test a treatment approach during pregnancy to reduce syphilis transmission from mother to baby for pregnant people at risk in Rio de Janeiro.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.