Syphilis by PCR (chancre) — Marylebone
Strictly confidential Syphilis by PCR (chancre) at Wimpole Street Medical & Dental, 22 Wimpole Street, from 1 October 2026. Nurse-taken sample, UKAS-accredited laboratory, results via secure portal.
From 1 October 2026 — until then book at South Kensington or St Paul's.
Price
£173
All-inclusive price
- Results within 5 days"
- Confidential service
- No GP referral needed
- Professional clinical environment
- Results via secure portal
- Nurse-led expert care
Wimpole Street, Marylebone (opening 1 October 2026)
Opening hours from 1 October 2026
- Monday
- 9am – 6pm
- Tuesday
- 9am – 8pm
- Wednesday
- 9am – 6pm
- Thursday
- 9am – 8pm
- Friday
- 8am – 5pm
- Saturday
- 10am – 4pm
- Sunday
- Closed
- Bond Street — about 6 minutes (Central, Jubilee & Elizabeth lines)
- Oxford Circus — about 7 minutes (Central, Bakerloo & Victoria lines)
Wimpole Street, Marylebone
Among the syphilis testing options at Wimpole Street, the Syphilis by PCR (chancre) is the one to choose when the concern is sexually Transmitted Disease, STD and treponema Pallidum. It costs £173, and once the Marylebone clinic opens on 1 October 2026 a nurse takes the swab for PCR with the laboratory typically reporting in 5 days. Testing is strictly confidential except where disclosure is required by law, and medical services are for patients aged 16 and over.
Syphilis by PCR (chancre)’s place in syphilis testing testing
- Sample
- swab for PCR
- Laboratory turnaround
- 5 days
- Appointment
- 20 minutes
- Standard price
- £173
What Syphilis by PCR (chancre) measures
Laboratories file the Syphilis by PCR (chancre) under sexually Transmitted Disease, STD, treponema Pallidum, genital Ulcer and venereal Disease. The following sections set out how a syphilis testing test of this kind is measured and read.
Syphilis screening uses a treponemal antibody test (IgG/IgM or TPHA) that detects the immune response to Treponema pallidum and remains positive for life after infection, paired with a non-treponemal test (RPR) whose level rises with active infection and falls after successful treatment. PCR on a swab from an ulcer can detect the bacterium directly in the earliest stage before antibodies appear. The combination allows the laboratory to distinguish current, past and treated infection.
Preparing for your Syphilis by PCR (chancre)
- 1Antibodies typically appear three to six weeks after infection; testing earlier can be negative and a repeat at 12 weeks is advised after a specific exposure.
- 2If you have an ulcer, a PCR swab from the lesion can be taken at the same visit and does not depend on antibody timing.
- 3No fasting is needed; a standard venous blood sample is taken.
- 4Tell the nurse if you have ever been treated for syphilis, as the treponemal test stays positive and the RPR is what changes.
Sample for this test: swab for PCR.
Who considers Syphilis by PCR (chancre)
- People often consider syphilis testing if they have noticed a sore that does not hurt on the genitals, anus or mouth that appeared some weeks after sex.
- A rash on the palms and soles, or patchy hair loss with swollen glands, are less familiar signs that prompt testing.
- Anyone having a full STI screen has syphilis included because early infection is frequently silent.
- Men who have sex with men are advised to test regularly, as syphilis rates are higher in this group.
- Pregnant women are screened in NHS antenatal care and may repeat testing after a new exposure.
Understanding your Syphilis by PCR (chancre) results
A positive treponemal test with a raised RPR can indicate current infection, whereas a positive treponemal test with a negative or very low RPR usually reflects past treated infection. Early infection can give a negative antibody result, which is why a lesion PCR or a repeat sample is recommended. Following treatment, the RPR is expected to fall fourfold or more over months, and the report will explain how to arrange follow-up testing.
Syphilis serology is interpreted as a pattern rather than a single result, and any positive should be reviewed by a sexual health clinician for staging and treatment.
Sudden visual loss, hearing loss, severe headache or confusion in someone who may have syphilis can indicate neurological involvement — call NHS 111 or go to an emergency department the same day.
Related areas of testing at Wimpole Street: HIV testing, STI screening profiles, herpes and HPV, sexual health.
Pricing
Payment is collected at the clinic. No additional fees apply for this test.
From booking the Syphilis by PCR (chancre) to reading your result
- 1
Choose your test
Select the Syphilis by PCR (chancre) and any others you want run from the same visit. Until 1 October 2026 the identical test can be booked at South Kensington or St Paul’s.
- 2
Nurse-led sample
From 1 October 2026 the swab for PCR is taken at 22 Wimpole Street, Marylebone by our nursing team, led by Precious Agbonmamwen, Registered Adult Nurse (NMC 20H1641E). Identity is checked and any preparation questions answered first.
- 3
UKAS-accredited laboratory
The sample travels to a UKAS-accredited partner laboratory, whose methods and reference ranges match those used across the NHS and private sectors.
- 4
Laboratory report to your secure portal
The laboratory report is released to your secure portal — typically from 24 hours; the laboratory quotes 5 days for this test. It shows each value against the reference range and flags anything outside it; discuss the report with your GP or a clinician.
Why test at Wimpole Street
Wimpole Street Medical & Dental opens at 22 Wimpole Street on 1 October 2026. Medical services are for patients aged 16 and over; registration with the CQC is in progress ahead of opening.
Wimpole Street, Marylebone (opening 1 October 2026)
- Bond Street — about 6 minutes (Central, Jubilee & Elizabeth lines)
- Oxford Circus — about 7 minutes (Central, Bakerloo & Victoria lines)
- Samples go to a UKAS-accredited partner laboratory using validated PCR and serology methods.
- Registration with the CQC is in progress ahead of opening and the service follows BASHH testing guidance.
- The nurse can explain window periods before you test, so you are not paying for a result that is too early to be meaningful.
Frequently Asked Questions
A swab for PCR. A nurse or phlebotomist collects it at 22 Wimpole Street, Marylebone from 1 October 2026; the appointment allows time for identity checks and any preparation questions. The laboratory quotes 5 days for this test.
Other tests often considered alongside Syphilis by PCR (chancre)
Ready to Get Tested?
Wimpole Street opens 1 October 2026. Register your interest, or book the same strictly confidential test now at South Kensington or St Paul's.
Important information about the Syphilis by PCR (chancre) at Wimpole Street
- Medical services at Wimpole Street Medical & Dental are for patients aged 16 and over.
- This is a self-referral service: you choose the test and book directly — no GP referral is needed.
- Nurse-led by Precious Agbonmamwen, Registered Adult Nurse (NMC 20H1641E), who oversees sample-taking standards, infection control and the patient pathway. The nursing team does not interpret results.
- A laboratory result is not a diagnosis and this page is not a substitute for medical advice. We do not provide clinical interpretation of results — please discuss your report with your GP or a clinician, particularly if a value is flagged or you have symptoms.
- CQC registration for Wimpole Street is in progress ahead of the opening on 1 October 2026; our South Kensington and St Paul’s clinics are CQC registered.
- Your results are held on a secure portal and treated as strictly confidential, except where disclosure is required by law.
- If you are seriously unwell, call 999. For urgent advice that is not an emergency, call NHS 111.
