A direct, point-of-care test to detect infectious and congenital syphilis
Development of a Direct Diagnostic Test for Infectious and Congenital Syphilis
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 ID | NIH-11166664 on NIH RePORTER |
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.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: 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.
Not a fit: 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.
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 performed: 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
Victoria, Canada
- University of Victoria — Victoria, Canada (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cameron, Caroline E — University of Victoria
- Study coordinator: Cameron, Caroline E
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 below.