A blood test used to diagnose syphilis.
Read as nonreactive or negative if you do not have syphilis. The Venereal Disease Research Laboratory can also be positive is cases of leprosy, malaria, mononucleosis, lupus, hepatitis A and pregnancy.
Positive Venereal Disease Research Laboratory tests are usually followed up by a more specific test (FTA antibodies).
(12 Jan 1998)