title: Sero-prevalence of syphilis among patients with mental illness: comparison with blood donors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mentally ill individuals (MII) are at risk of acquiring syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections. This study aimed at determining sero-prevalence of syphilis among MII and compare them with voluntary blood donors (VBD) at University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study done between June, 2010 and June 2011, and involving 350 each of VBDs and MII in and out-patients of UITH. Serological test was done using venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) and the Treponema Pallidum Haemagglutination (TPHA) kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 700 subjects, 324 (92.6%) MII, and 349 (99.7%) VBDs were <55 years; 71 (21.4%) MII were Civil Servants compared with 96 (27.4%) VBDs. Significantly more VBDs had higher education than MII (185 or 52.9%, and 140 or 40% respectively). Christians constituted the majority (176 or 50.3%) among MII, and Muslims (210 or 60%) among VBDs. Significantly more married VBDs (204/206 or 99.0%) live with spouses; more VBDs consumed alcohol (37 or 10.6%), smoked (19 or 5.4%), and engaged in extramarital sex (105 or 30.0%). Significantly more MII had blood transfusion (40 or 11.4); engaged in sex trade (12 or 3.4%); and more syphilis prevalence (5.4%). In addition, more syphilitic MII smoked (18 or 94.7%); and all syphilitic MII had psychotic disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of syphilis in MII is significantly higher than among VBDs. Routine screening of MII is advocated to stem this problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of Ilorin, PMB 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Issa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fadeyi
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Durotoye
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Yussuf
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Salami
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Shittu
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Ajiboye
authors.forename: H O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Olawumi
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Adegunloye
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mwabuisi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sulyman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013587:Syphilis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult