Automated Reagin Test for Syphilis in a Multichannel Blood Grouping Machine

Abstract

The automated reagin test for syphilis, with properly controlled performance, is a reliable screening procedure and can be adapted to a multichannel AutoAnalyzer blood grouping machine with satisfactory sensitivity and specificity. Overall agreement between the single-channel and multichannel methods was 97.9% on 698 specimens tested. With modifications in the decant system in the multichannel automated continuous-flow system there is an increase in sensitivity, with specificity equal to or greater than that of the manual VDRL slide test.