Clinical pathology selected abstracts
September 2024—Syphilis, an infectious disease caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum, can be transmitted by blood transfusion. Therefore, donor blood has been routinely screened for syphilis since the 1950s. Although a case of transfusion-transmitted syphilis has not been documented in more than 50 years, routine serological testing is still performed because there is not sufficient evidence that it is no longer necessary. Syphilis testing can contribute to disease monitoring for overall public health by identifying infected blood donors so they can seek treatment to prevent further spread. The Transfusion Transmissible Infections Monitoring System (TTIMS) monitors infectious disease and demographic changes in donors who contribute approximately 60 percent of the U.S. blood supply, including at four major blood-collection organizations.