Before my liver transplant I was asked by Mayo if I was willing to take a liver with Hep B. It was a top surgeon and he assured me they could "take care of it" with drugs if I got one. So I said sure. My actual liver did not have that. There was no mention of Syphillis , I would have remembered that for sure. Sounds scary to me but if it's Mayo suggesting it I would trust them. Same old story more folks who need new livers than livers so they have to use what they can. Best of luck.