American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Practice Exam 2025 - Free ABFM Practice Questions and Study Guide

When a patient presents with lesions suggestive of syphilis, the most recommended initial test is a non-treponemal test, such as the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test. This blood test screens for antibodies that may indicate an active syphilis infection. RPR is a useful tool because it is relatively easy to perform, provides quick results, and can help in the diagnosis and monitoring of syphilis treatment.

In cases of suspected syphilis, it is essential to start with a non-treponemal test due to its wide availability and capacity to detect active infections. If the non-treponemal test returns positive, a follow-up treponemal test would confirm the diagnosis.

While other testing options might be relevant in different contexts, they do not serve as the primary screening tests for this condition. For instance, a skin biopsy is typically not indicated for syphilis diagnosis since lesions are not typically biopsied; the diagnosis is generally made using serological tests. The Papanicolaou test is aimed at cervical cancer screening and is not related to syphilis detection. An HIV test is crucial, especially in patients with high-risk behaviors, but it does not specifically diagnose syph