Epidemiology of syphilis among blood donors

ABSTRACT

A total number of 12901 blood units were tested for syphilis by Venereal Diseases Research Laboratory [VDRL] test and confirmed by Treponema Pallidum Hemagglutination Assay [TPHA]. An overall prevalence rate was 0.89%. The prevalence increased with increasing age. There is no significant effect of gender, blood group or Rh group on the prevalence of syphilitic infection. Businessmen [1.88%] and male laborers [1.27%] showed a significantly higher rates than male clerks [0.51%]. Chadians, Ethiopians, Indonesians and Somalians showed a significantly higher rates of syphilitic seropositivity than Saudi nationals, while nonsignificant rates were found among Egyptians [0.48%] as well as other Islamic nationals