UNLABELLED: Background The resurgence of infectious syphilis in men who have sex with men (MSM) has been documented worldwide; however, HIV coinfection and syphilis reinfections in MSM in inner Sydney have not been published. METHODS: For all laboratory syphilis notifications assessed as a newly notified case or reinfection, a questionnaire was sent to the requesting physician seeking demographic data and disease classification. Sex of partner and HIV status were collected for all infectious syphilis notifications in men received from 1 April 2006 to March 2011. RESULTS: From April 2001 to March 2011, 3664 new notifications were received, 2278 (62%) were classified as infectious syphilis. Infectious syphilis notifications increased 12-fold from 25 to 303 in the first and last year respectively, and almost all notifications were in men (2220, 97.5%). During April 2006 to March 2011, 1562 infectious syphilis notifications in males were received and 765 (49%) of these men were HIV-positive and 1351 (86%) reported a male sex partner. Reinfections increased over time from 17 (9%) to 56 (19%) in the last year of the study and were significantly more likely to be in HIV-positive individuals (χ(2)=140.92, degrees of freedom= 1, P=<0.001). CONCLUSION: Inner Sydney is experiencing an epidemic of infectious syphilis in MSM and about half of these cases are in HIV-positive patients. Reinfections are increasing and occur predominantly in HIV-positive men. Accurate surveillance information is needed to inform effective prevention programs, and community and clinician education needs to continue until a sustained reduction is achieved.
UNLABELLED: Background The resurgence of infectious syphilis in men who have sex with men (MSM) has been documented worldwide; however, HIV coinfection and syphilis reinfections in MSM in inner Sydney have not been published. METHODS: For all laboratory syphilis notifications assessed as a newly notified case or reinfection, a questionnaire was sent to the requesting physician seeking demographic data and disease classification. Sex of partner and HIV status were collected for all infectious syphilis notifications in men received from 1 April 2006 to March 2011. RESULTS: From April 2001 to March 2011, 3664 new notifications were received, 2278 (62%) were classified as infectious syphilis. Infectious syphilis notifications increased 12-fold from 25 to 303 in the first and last year respectively, and almost all notifications were in men (2220, 97.5%). During April 2006 to March 2011, 1562 infectious syphilis notifications in males were received and 765 (49%) of these men were HIV-positive and 1351 (86%) reported a male sex partner. Reinfections increased over time from 17 (9%) to 56 (19%) in the last year of the study and were significantly more likely to be in HIV-positive individuals (χ(2)=140.92, degrees of freedom= 1, P=<0.001). CONCLUSION: Inner Sydney is experiencing an epidemic of infectious syphilis in MSM and about half of these cases are in HIV-positive patients. Reinfections are increasing and occur predominantly in HIV-positive men. Accurate surveillance information is needed to inform effective prevention programs, and community and clinician education needs to continue until a sustained reduction is achieved.
Authors: Minh D Pham; Jason J Ong; David A Anderson; Heidi E Drummer; Mark Stoové Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-07-04 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: S C Ferreira; C de Almeida-Neto; A S Nishiya; C D L Oliveira; J E Ferreira; C S Alencar; J E Levi; N A Salles; A Mendrone; E C Sabino Journal: Transfus Med Date: 2014-04-30 Impact factor: 2.019
Authors: Arlene C Seña; Xiao-Hui Zhang; Trudy Li; He-Ping Zheng; Bin Yang; Li-Gang Yang; Juan C Salazar; Myron S Cohen; M Anthony Moody; Justin D Radolf; Joseph D Tucker Journal: BMC Infect Dis Date: 2015-10-28 Impact factor: 3.090
Authors: Isabel Hernandez; Ayesha Johnson; Miguel Reina-Ortiz; Carlos Rosas; Vinita Sharma; Santiago Teran; Eknath Naik; Hamisu M Salihu; Enrique Teran; Ricardo Izurieta Journal: Am J Mens Health Date: 2016-12-05