Who it is for
Is this syphilis test right for you?
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It moves through stages including a long quiet stage, and untreated it can damage the heart and the nervous system. Found, it is treated with antibiotics. A syphilis test you do at home is private and gives you a first answer in ten minutes. People use it when they notice:
- A sore that is usually painless (chancre) on the genitals, anus or mouth
- A rash that does not itch, often on the palms or soles
- Either of these after unprotected sex
- A partner who has tested positive
Why not to wait. The first signs go away by themselves, the infection does not. It stays in the body and can be passed on.
- A new partnerBefore you stop using condoms
- A partner who tested positiveTest even without symptoms
- A sore that healedThe quiet phase is not a cure
- DiscretionA result at home, in ten minutes
Timing
When to test: from five weeks after the contact
Timing matters for this test. After an infection the body needs about five weeks to make enough antibodies against Treponema pallidum for a test to detect them. A test done earlier can be negative even when an infection is present.
5
weeks
from the risky contact to a reliable test
Risky contact
Test from here
Weeks 1 to 5: too early. The body is still making antibodies. A test can be negative even when an infection is present.
After week 5. Antibodies are detectable.
Positive result? See your doctor. Syphilis is treated with antibiotics.
A sore or a rash now? Do not wait for five weeks. See a doctor.
What it measures
What this syphilis test tells you, and what it does not
It tells you
- Whether your blood contains antibodies against Treponema pallidum, above 0.1 IU/mL (WHO reference)
- Doctors diagnose syphilis from these antibodies
- From a fingertip blood sample, in ten minutes, at home
It does not tell you
- Anything reliable in the first five weeks after the contact: the antibody level can still be too low, and the test can read negative
- Whether an infection is new or was treated in the past. The antibodies can remain
- Anything about other sexually transmitted infections
- A final answer in older people, in people who use drugs, or with cirrhosis, mononucleosis, an autoimmune disease, herpes simplex or cytomegalovirus, or with heterophilic antibodies: these can give a false positive
Contents
What is in the box
- 1 × test device in a sealed foil pouch
- 1 × dropper bottle of diluent 1 mL
- 2 × plastic capillary pipettes one is a spare
- 2 × sterile lancets one is a spare
- 1 × alcohol pad
- 1 × instructions for use in seven languages
- 1 × desiccant bag discard it, do not use it
Everything you need is in the box except a timer. Keep the foil pouch sealed until you test.
How it works
Five steps, about fifteen minutes
01
Prepare the lancet
Very important: do not touch the trigger. Twist the grey protective cap off, never pull it. Keep turning until it comes away.
02
Take a blood sample from your fingertip
Very important: use the pipette correctly — lightly touch the drop of blood with the pipette’s tip, not the skin, do not squeeze the bulb, fill to the line.
03
Put the blood into the sample well
Press the pipette bulb to release the blood into the sample well. Then wait 30 to 40 seconds until it is absorbed.
04
Add exactly 4 drops of diluent
Very important: add the diluent only after the 30 to 40 seconds. Hold the vial upright and add exactly four drops, 2–3 seconds apart.
05
Read the result after 10 minutes
Not after 15. Set a timer.
Instructions for useWatch the video demonstration
On the clock: the ten minutes, step by step
- Drop in
Blood from the pipette into the sample well.
- Wait, then diluent
Not before 30–40 seconds. Then exactly four drops, 2–3 seconds apart.
- Colour moves
Lines begin to form. Not readable yet.
- Read
Read the result now, in good light.
- Stop
Do not interpret the result after 15 minutes.
Your result
How to read your syphilis test result
Two lines means antibodies against the syphilis bacterium were found. One line means they were not. A faint second line still counts as a line. The pictures below show each result.
Antibodies found positive
Both C and T lines are visible. The sample contains antibodies against Treponema pallidum. See a doctor.
None detected negative
Only the C line is visible. No antibodies were detected.
Invalid repeat
No C line. The result cannot be read. This happens most often when the diluent is added before the blood has been absorbed. Repeat with a new test and a fresh blood sample, and wait the full 30 to 40 seconds before you add the diluent.
A faint T line still counts as a line — the colour and intensity of the lines do not matter, only that they are homogeneous and clearly visible. Read at 10 minutes; do not interpret the result after 15. The pictures are for illustration purposes; the actual lines may differ in intensity.
Next step
What to do with your result
If antibodies were found
See a doctor or a sexual health clinic and show the result. The doctor decides whether further tests are needed. Syphilis is curable with antibiotics. Do not have sex until a doctor has examined you and, if needed, treated you. Tell recent partners so they can test too.
If none were detected
No antibodies were detected. If you still have a sore or a rash, see a doctor. If the contact was less than five weeks ago, test again once five weeks have passed.
The technology
What happens inside the test device
All of it happens on a paper strip inside the test device, in ten minutes.
- The sample moves
The drop of blood and the diluent travel along the strip by capillary action. No pump, no power.
- Your antibodies
When Treponema pallidum is in the body, the immune system makes specific antibodies against it. The test looks for these antibodies.
- The T line
Treponema pallidum antigens are fixed at T. They catch only the antibodies directed against the bacterium. Above 0.1 IU/mL, a coloured line appears. Below that, none.
- The C line
The C line captures the excess reagent. A line at C means the test worked. No C line, no result.
This test has been used by professionals for more than 15 years. It gives one answer — above or below the threshold — not a number.
Quality
Made in France, checked batch by batch
30+
years of diagnostic expertise — rapid tests made in France since 1991
- ISO 13485The international quality-management standard for organisations that design, manufacture and service medical devices
- Every batch checkedDefined checks completed before a batch is released
- Monitored after releasePerformance tracked for as long as the batch is on the market
Notified body 0483ISO 13485Made in FranceCE-marked IVD
The Patris Health promise. No valid result? Write to us and we replace the test or refund the purchase price. It applies whenever the test was performed as the instructions describe, and we do not argue about it.
Specification
Technical data for the syphilis test
| Intended use | Qualitative immunochromatographic screening test for antibodies against Treponema pallidum in capillary whole blood, for self-testing by lay users |
|---|---|
| Analyte | Antibodies against Treponema pallidum |
| Method | Lateral flow immunoassay |
| Cut-off | 0.1 IU/mL (determined against the WHO reference) |
| Sample | Capillary whole blood from a fingertip, pipette filled to the line |
| Time to result | Read at 10 minutes; do not interpret after 15 minutes |
| Agreement | 97 % overall agreement with reference methods (95 % CI 96.1–98.3 %) |
| Storage | 4 to 30 °C, do not freeze |
| Expiry date | Indicated on the label and the foil pouch |
| Device type | CE-marked in-vitro diagnostic medical device (IVD) for self-testing |
| Certificates | CE 0483 · ISO 13485 |
Questions
Asked before ordering
How accurate is a syphilis test at home compared with the laboratory?+
In the evaluation studies, the test agreed with laboratory reference methods in 97 % of cases (95 % CI 96.1–98.3 %). Like the laboratory screening test, it detects antibodies. After a positive result, the doctor decides whether an additional examination is needed.
Does the finger prick hurt?+
It is a brief prick. Wash your hands with warm water first, massage the finger towards the tip for 10 to 15 seconds, and prick the side of the fingertip. The needle retracts into the lancet straight away.
How soon after contact can I test?+
From five weeks after the contact. Before that, the antibody level can be too low to detect, and the result can be negative even when an infection is present. If the contact was less than five weeks ago and the result is negative, test again once five weeks have passed, or see a doctor.
I was treated for syphilis in the past. Will the test be positive?+
It can be. The antibodies can remain in the blood after a successful treatment. If you have new symptoms, see a doctor.
When should I test?+
From five weeks after a risky contact, when a sore or a rash has appeared, or when a partner has tested positive. The test can be performed at any time of the day.
What if I cannot get enough blood?+
Massage the finger gently from its base towards the tip, with a light squeeze-and-release motion, until a large drop forms. Then fill the pipette to the line. Every kit has a spare lancet and pipette for a second attempt.
The lancet did nothing when I pressed it+
A lancet works only once. If the grey protective cap was pulled off by force instead of twisted, the lancet may already have been triggered. Take the spare lancet, give the cap a quarter turn, keep turning until it comes away, then press the lancet firmly against the side of the fingertip and press the trigger button.
Why did I get an invalid result?+
The most common causes are an incorrect amount of blood, adding the diluent before the blood was absorbed, or a test device that was exposed to moisture before use. A test device can be used only once, so repeat with a new test: fill the pipette to the line, wait 30 to 40 seconds, then add four drops. Write to us and we replace the test.
How do I dispose of the lancet?+
The needle retracts into the lancet body after use, so all components can go in household waste. If your pharmacy collects sharps separately, use that; it is the tidier option.
Sources
National Health Service. (2026, March 17). Syphilis. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/syphilis/
Peeling, R. W., Mabey, D., Kamb, M. L., Chen, X.-S., Radolf, J. D., & Benzaken, A. S. (2017). Syphilis. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 3, Article 17073. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrdp.2017.73
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, October 3). Syphilis – STI treatment guidelines. https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/syphilis.htm
World Health Organization. (2025, May 29). Syphilis. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/syphilis
Last reviewed 2 October 2026
Instructions for use
Patris Health Syphilis Home Test
Detection of antibodies against Treponema pallidum in whole blood. CE-marked in-vitro diagnostic medical device for self-testing.
This is the English part of the multi-language instructions for use. The printed instructions in the box carry the same text in seven languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and Slovenian. If the version printed on the instructions in your box differs from this one, follow the instructions in your box.
Precautions and test components
Read this before you start: safety, storage and what is in the kit.
Testing procedure
Step by step, with a picture for each step.
Interpretation of the results
How to read your result, with pictures.
About the test
Background, questions and answers, accuracy.
Questions about the test: help@patris-health.com
Instructions for use SYPHV02, January 2025 · © Patris Health. Copying and reproduction are not permitted.
