European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

STUDY OF THE PREVALENCE OF TREPONEMA PALLIDUM CAUSED SYPHILIS IN SUHAG GOVERNORATE THROUGH BLOOD DONOR’S REGIONAL CENTER FOR THE NATIONAL BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICES

*Mamdouh M. Esmat, Mohamed E. Rashed, Mervat H. G., Amer M. M., Heba H. F.

ABSTRACT

Treponema pallidum is a motile Gram-negative bacterium causing syphilis. Syphilis is one of the known sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and transfusion transmitted infections (TTIs). Blood samples from 16,000 Egyptian blood donors attending all blood banks in Suhag governorate during the period between January 2015 to December 2015 were screened for markers of infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and syphilis as per routine check of blood bags for (TTIs). Detection of Treponema pallidum was conducted by ELISA technique and 32 cases were found positive. Out of ELISA positive cases; 25 cases were positive when tested with TPHA technique. All cases were found to be negative using PCR as confirmatory test to detect Treponema pallidum microbial DNA. Socio demographic variables of detected syphilis cases by ELISA technique were investigated showing that majority of the cases were males, age around twenties, having intermediate level of education and living in rural areas. This study recommends the use of PCR test for syphilis detection either as a sensitive screening routine test or as a confirmatory one. The study emphasizes the importance of a national surveillance system and establishment of reliable databases for development and prevalence of STIs and TTIs. Also, more effective strategies on community education programs and more public health campaigns needed to be conducted to raise awareness about wrong habits and behaviors to bound further spread of these diseases in Egypt.

Keywords: Syphilis, blood banks, TTIs, infection.