Seroepidemiology and risk Factors Analysis of Syphilis: A Cross-Sectional Study from Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence and determine the risk factors analysis of syphilis in blood donors.

Methodology: It was a cross-sectional, prospective, single centre study of blood donors from June 2020 to June 2021. After selection and obtaining informed consent, the required blood samples for screening were collected from the blood donors and tested by Chemiluminescence Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA) for the detection of antibodies specific to Treponema palladium. All syphilis reactive blood donors filled out a questionnaire used for risk factors analysis.

Results: A total of 32,812 blood samples were tested by CMIA technique for the detection of antibodies against T. pallidum in which 272(0.83%) were reactive while 32,540(99.17%) were non-reactive. Male participants in the study were 32,661(99.54%) while 151(0.46%) were females. Voluntary blood donors comprised of 1,885(5.74%) while 30,927(94.26%) were replacement donors. In the replacement blood donors category, 262(0.86%) were reactive for syphilis antibodies whereas 10(0.53%) were reactive for syphilisin the voluntary blood donors category. All of the reactive cases were in the male blood donors and no reactive case was detected in female blood donors. Of the272 reactive blood donors, the majority (39.71%) were from urban and 164 (60.29%) were from rural areas. The majority of the reactive blood donors were between the age of 18 to 37 years.

Conclusion: The current study provided a baseline for the rate of local prevalence and risk factors analysis for syphilis. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, syphilis has become prevalent posing a threat to blood safety. Further studies with a higher sample size including are needed. A campaign for health education at the national and provincial level is imperative.