Hello Thanks for writing to us with your health concern. The venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) test is designed to assess whether or not you have syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection. Instead of testing for the bacteria that causes syphilis, the VDRL test checks for antibodies to this bacteria. Your immune system produces a specific kind of antibody (a type of protein) when it defends your body from syphilis. Testing for this antibody can let your doctors know whether you have syphilis. If your test comes back positive for syphilis antibodies, you probably (but not definitely) have syphilis. If this occurs, your doctor will order a more specific test to confirm the results. In addition various other conditions can cause a false positive result , such as - Malaria, Pregnancy, Viral diseases - Hepatitis, IMN, Drugs, Rheumatic fever, Rheumatoid arthritis, Leprosy, Lupus etc. Thus please have a more specific test before inferring anything. All the best. Take care.