AEGiS-14IAC: Resurgence of syphilis Early syphilis among attenders Sexually Transmitted Infections Units.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Resurgence of syphilis Early syphilis among attenders Sexually Transmitted Infections Units.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. LbPeC9030)

Calmet M, Barrabeig I, Sanz B, Armengol P, Boronat J, Villena MJ, Vall M, Dominguez A
Directorate of Public Health. Department of Health and Social Security, Barcelona, Spain

BACKGROUND: Ulceratives STIs and HIV infection are potent co-factors of its sexual transmission. There has been a recent shift in the epidemiology of early syphilis in the developed world and outbreaks of syphilis have recently been reported in many Member states of European Union. Over the last few years the number of reported cases of early syphilis has increased appreciably among persons attending STI Units of Catalonia. Since 1998 diagnoses of primary and secondary syphilis have more than quadrupled (from 4 in 1998 to 25 in 2001).

METHODS: Descriptive study of the general characteristics of patients diagnosed of early syphilis in STI Units of Catalonia over 16 month period begining January 2001. During this period a total of 16,109 consultations have been attended.

RESULTS: A total of 39 cases of early syphilis (92.3% with primary or secondary infection) were diagnosed. Of these, 7 (17.9%) were heterosexual men, 22 (56.4%) homosexual men and 10 (25.6%) women. The median age of cases was 32 years (range 19-66). The majority of women (90%) and heterosexual men (71.4%) were born outside of Spain. No patient reported the use of injection drugs. Seven (70%) women identified themselves as sex workers and all of these were immigrants. Among heterosexual men, five (71.4%), four of whom were immigrants, reported that they had sexual intercourse with female sex workers. Out the 38 cases tested for HIV, ten (26.3%) were HIV-1 antibody positive. All of these ten patients infected with HIV-1 were homosexual men, four (40%) were immigrants, one of whom was a sex worker. Only two cases reported traceable contacts.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that prostitution related to foreign populations may play an important part in heterosexual transmission and diffussion of syphilis. On the other hand, continued surveillance for syphilis is essential among group of male homosexuals, especially in those pacients who are HIV positive.

Keywords: AEGIS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Syphilis, HIV Infections, Prostitution, HIV-1, Homosexuality, HIV Seropositivity, Disease Outbreaks, Emigration and Immigration, Spain, European Union, Greece, Human, Male, Female

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