New Transfusion Monthly Podcast Explores Syphilis Trends Among Blood Donors
April 22, 2025
Researchers from the American Red Cross joined the latest episode of the
Transfusion Monthly Podcast to discuss a
recent study that examined rates of syphilis-positive and false-positive blood donations.
In the study, Galen Conti, MPH; Susan Stramer, PhD; and their co-investigators analyzed more than 53 million donations collected by the Red Cross between 2013 and 2023. They identified syphilis infections in 10,365 donations (0.02% of total donations), including 3,463 recent and 6,902 past infections. The data showed an increase in syphilis infections that paralleled trends in the general population, along with seasonal spikes in false-positive results, which the researchers believe may relate to vaccinations.
In their discussion with host Yara Park, MD, Conti and Stramer shared insights on testing algorithms, changes in testing platforms and the link between syphilis-positive donations and other transfusion-transmissible infections. They also addressed ongoing questions about the role of syphilis screening in blood donation and emphasized the importance of continued monitoring as syphilis rates rise nationwide.
