When you test positive with syphilis, the treponemal antibodies remain active even after treatment, and thus, possibilities of you always getting a positive from the tests is high. Treponemal or Treponema is a kind of pathogen that caused syphilis.
So, when you get tested for bacterial infection, the result will always be positive. From that test, however, it will not indicate or show if the infection is current or previous. So, a Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) test will take place to find out.
On the contrary, when an RPR test detected nontreponemal antibodies and get adequate treatment for it, the scars or effects of syphilis in the body will usually disappear after three years.