False + ve VDRL, is seen in all except:
Ans. is 'd' i.e., Pregnancy(Ref: Harrison, 18th/e, p. 1385; Harrison, 19th/e, p. 1132; Ananthanarayan, 9th/e, p. 370)Since the test employs a non-treponemal antigen, there are many chances of false positive results. False positivity (other than technical) may be due to physiological of pathological conditions. These are called biological false positives (BFP).If they remain positive for less than 6 months it is considered acute and they remain positive for longer than 6 months it is called chronic BFP.The physiological reasons for BFP include pregnancy (Rarely), menstruation, repeated blood loss, vaccination, severe trauma etc., while the reasons for pathological BFP include malaria, infectious mononucleosis, hepatitis, relapsing fever, tropical eosinophilia, lepromatous leprosy, SLE, rheumatoid arthritis, who have recently been immunized etc.A reactive VDRL test does not necessarily imply that the person is syphilitic. The diagnosis must be made in conjunction with clinical findings. Any reactive VDRL test must be confirmed with a specific or treponemal test such as TPHA, FTA-ABS test.
Lepromatous leprosy
Infectious mononucleosis
HIV
Pregnancy
Bacteria