The Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test is a blood test used to screen for syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. The VDRL test detects antibodies produced by the body in response to the infection. It is a non-specific test that can also detect other conditions, such as certain autoimmune diseases, and false positives are possible. Therefore, a positive VDRL test result must be confirmed with more specific tests. The VDRL test is a simple and inexpensive test that is widely used in many countries as part of routine prenatal care and in other settings where syphilis screening is needed.
