Epidemiological description of episodes of syphilis attending an institution of the city of Buenos Aires during the period 2008-2011

Abstract

Introduction: syphilis epidemics have been reported worldwide and currently represent a major reemerging public health problem.
Objectives: to determine the number of cases of syphilis diagnosed at one institution, analyzing demographics, subjects belonging to the population of men who have sex with men (MSM), stage of the episode at the time of diagnosis, co infection with HIV infection, clinical stages in HIV reactive and non-reactive patients.
Materials and methods: in the database laboratory VDRL ≥ 1/8 of patients over 18 years attended the institution during 2008-2011 were identified.
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with diagnosis of syphilis.
Results: 356 episodes were diagnosed in 325 patients. Mean age 38.6 years; median age 37 years; 95.3% male, 65.2% HIV reactive; 50.5% were primary or secondary syphilis and 45% latent syphilis. Similar stage syphilis in HIV reactive and non-reactive (p = 0.41). Increase in the annual rate of positive VDRL requested by 1000 VDRL was observed, however, the difference was no statistically significant (p = 0.1).
Discussion: episodes of syphilis were diagnosed predominantly in men, MSM and HIV reactive patients. The results of our study suggest that implementation of routine testing for syphilis in vulnerable populations to diagnose symptomatic and asymptomatic syphilis may provide clinical benefits and epidemiological.