Association between syphilis seroprevalence and age among blood donors in Southern China: an observational study from 2014 to 2017

Wu, Xiaobing; Guan, Yang; Ye, Jianbin; Fu, Hanlin; Zhang, Chunlai; Lan, Lina; Wu, Fengxin; Tang, Fen; Wang, Feng; Cai, Yumao; Yu, Weiye; Feng, Tiejian

Among 733 donors with active infection, a TRUST titre of 1∶1 accounted for the largest proportion (41.7%), followed by a titre of 1∶2 (24.1%). About 27.0% had a TRUST titre of ≥1∶8. The distribution of TRUST titres was varied among the age groups (Figure 3) . Patients aged ≥45 years comprised a large proportion of low titres at 1∶1 and 1∶2, and the proportion of high titres was only 16.3%, which was much 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 The proportion of high-titre declined significantly with age (χ 2 trend = 53.6, p trend < 0.001) ( Table 3) . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 Evidence suggests that the most significant factor affecting testing patterns in older adults is the active provision of the screening test. 29 Since the initiation of China's national syphilis control plan, syphilis screening has been widely integrated into HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services. More than 95% of people who received HIV testing services have undergone free syphilis testing. 30 Referral, treatment, and follow-up services would be provided to those diagnosed with syphilis. In Shenzhen, more than half of VCT sites are set in community health service centres, where a separate room is arranged for counselling and testing service.