Treponemic serological tracks related to yaws in blood donors in Martinique (French West Indies).

Using TPHA instead of VDRL for syphilis blood-screening since 1995 showed a n important increase of positive blood donors in Martinique. Yaws, another treponemic disease, has been present on the island untill 1975-1980. Usual tests are unable to identify which type - veneral or non veneral - of trepo nema is involved. Our study, carried out from January 1995 to May 1999, com pares actual serological and epidemiological characteristics of TPHA reacti ve donors to former studies. In our results, the frequency of reactive TPHA is about 1.04% in blood donations, Donors are carrying serological tracks of a past treponemic disease with very low rate of antibodies, sometimes li nked to yaws. Among donors aged 18 to 30, prevalence is low and is going to become similar to the rate observed in Continental France. This means that this problem will disappear in new donor generations. We suggest the possi bility for them to continue blood donation, if their personal preliminary e nquiry fits the admission criteria for blood giving. (C) 2001 editions scie ntifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.