Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the changes in our syphilis cases over the years, their demographic and clinical characteristics, and their laboratory findings.
Methods: The study included patients diagnosed with syphilis between 2018 and 2022 at a tertiary hospital's Dermatology and Infectious Diseases (ID) outpatient clinics. Patients'; demographic, clinical, and laboratory data evaluated at the time of diagnosis. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 20.0 program was used to analyze the data.
Results: A total of 272 syphilis cases were included in the study. Among these cases, 82.4% were male, and 39.6% were 41–60 years old. In total, 7.4% were anti-HIV, and 2.9% were positive for HBsAg. The rates of the cases diagnosed at primary and secondary stages were 74.4%. Syphilis cases were detected more in 2018 than in other years (except 2020) and fewer in 2022 than in other years (p< 0.001). Anti-HIV positive cases were diagnosed more frequently at ID outpatient clinics, and cases with clinical findings were diagnosed more at dermatology outpatient clinics (p< 0.001). The rate of sexual partners not tested for syphilis was significantly higher in males than in females (p= 0.027). The rates of syphilis cases in the study and Turkey as a whole were similar in 2018–2019 but significantly different in 2020-2021-2022 (p< 0.001).
Conclusion: Reporting syphilis is essential to identify the at-risk population prevent complications, and reduce transmission. Monitoring the profile of syphilis cases admitted to the hospital can increase the detection rate of syphilis cases.
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12. Ross MW. A community level syphilis prevention programme: outcome data from a controlled trial. Sex Transm Infect. 2004;80:100-104. DOI: 10.1136/sti.2003.006171.
13. Topçu W, Söyletir G , Doğanay M, Enfeksiyon Hastalıkları ve Mikrobiyolojisi. Publishing; 2017. p.341-427
14. Laga M, Manoka A, Kivuvu M et al. Non-ulcerative sexually transmitted diseases as risk factors for HIV-1 transmission in women: results from a cohort study. AIDS Lond Engl. 7:95-102. DOI: 10.1097/00002030-199301000-00015
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16. Körber A, Dissemond J, Lehnen M et al. Syphilis with HIV coinfection. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges.2004;2:833-40. DOI: 10.1046/j.1439-0353.2004.04071.x
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DOI: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001502
Year 2024,
Volume: 15 Issue: 1, 8 - 14, 31.01.2024
1. Syphilis: Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical manifestations in patients without HIV. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/syphilis-epidemiology-pathophysiology-and-clinical-manifestations-in-patients-without-hiv/. Accessed 03 March 2023
2. Syphilis - STD information from CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/default.htm/. Accessed 10 March 2023
3. Rowley J, Vander Hoorn S, Korenromp E et al. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and syphilis: global prevalence and incidence estimates, 2016. Bull World Health Organ. 2019;97:548-562. DOI: 10.2471/BLT.18.228486
4. Sifiliz https://hsgm.saglik.gov.tr/tr/bulasici-hastaliklar/sifiliz/sifiliz-liste/sifiliz-istatistik.html/. Accessed 7 March 2023
5. Romanowski B, Sutherland R, Fick GH et al. Serologic response to treatment of infectious syphilis. Ann Intern Med. 1991;114:1005-1009. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-114-12-1005
6. Brown ST, Zaidi A, Larsen SA et al. Serological response to syphilis treatment. A new analysis of old data. JAMA. 1985;253:1296-1299.
7. Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA et al. Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021. MMWR. 2021;70:1-187. DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.rr7004a1
8. Adişen E, Öztaş M, Gürer MA. Demographic Characteristics of Syphilis Patients Followed Between 1994 and 2006. Türkderm 2008;42:9-12.
9. Wong NS, Chen L, Tucker JD et al. Distribution of reported syphilis cases in South China: spatiotemporal analysis. Sci Rep.2018;8:9090. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27173-y
10. Hook EW. Syphilis. The Lancet. 2017;389:1550-1557. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)32411-4
11. Akalpler Ö, Eroğlu K. University Students’ Sexual Behavior and Knowledge Levels on Common Sexually Transmitted Infections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Hacet Üniversitesi Hemşire Fakültesi Derg. 2015;2:1-19.
12. Ross MW. A community level syphilis prevention programme: outcome data from a controlled trial. Sex Transm Infect. 2004;80:100-104. DOI: 10.1136/sti.2003.006171.
13. Topçu W, Söyletir G , Doğanay M, Enfeksiyon Hastalıkları ve Mikrobiyolojisi. Publishing; 2017. p.341-427
14. Laga M, Manoka A, Kivuvu M et al. Non-ulcerative sexually transmitted diseases as risk factors for HIV-1 transmission in women: results from a cohort study. AIDS Lond Engl. 7:95-102. DOI: 10.1097/00002030-199301000-00015
15. Management of syphilis in the HIV-infected patient: facts and controversies. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20797515/. Accessed 7 March 2023
16. Körber A, Dissemond J, Lehnen M et al. Syphilis with HIV coinfection. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges.2004;2:833-40. DOI: 10.1046/j.1439-0353.2004.04071.x
17. HIV-AIDS İstatistik. https://hsgm.saglik.gov.tr/tr/bulasici-hastaliklar/hiv-aids/hiv-aids-liste/hiv-aids-istatislik.html. Accessed 8 March 2023
18. Xie N, Hu X, Yan H et al. Effects of Case Management on Risky Sexual Behaviors and Syphilis Among HIV-Infected Men Who Have Sex With Men in China: A Randomized Controlled Study. Sex Transm Dis. 2022;49:22-8.
Ünver Ulusoy T, Haykır Solay A, Demirköse H, Kuzi S, Hekımoglu CH, Şencan İ (January 1, 2024) The Disease of All Times: A Retrospective Study of 272 Syphilis Cases. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 15 1 8–14.