Occurrence, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of syphilis in the prospective observational Swiss HIV Cohort Study.
Details
Serval ID
serval:BIB_4CBDF0FA1D2C
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Occurrence, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of syphilis in the prospective observational Swiss HIV Cohort Study.
Journal
Aids
Working group(s)
Swiss HIV Cohort Study
Contributor(s)
Battegay M., Bernasconi E., Böni J., Bucher HC., Bürgisser P., Calmy A., Cavassini M., Dubs R., Egger M., Elzi L., Fischer M., Flepp M., Fontana A., Francioli P., Furrer H., Fux CA., Gorgievski M., Günthard HF., Hirsch HH., Hirschel B., Hösli I., Kahlert C., Kaiser L., Karrer U., Kind C., Klimkait T., Ledergerber B., Martinetti G., Martinez de Tejada B., Müller N., Nadal D., Paccaud F., Pantaleo G., Rauch A., Regenass S., Rickenbach M., Rudin C., Schmid P., Schultze D., Schöni-Affolter F., Schüpbach J., Speck R., Taffé P., Telenti A., Trkola A., Vernazza P., Weber R., Yerly S.
ISSN
1473-5571 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0269-9370
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2010
Volume
24
Number
12
Pages
1907-1916
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Annual syphilis testing was reintroduced in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) in 2004. We prospectively studied occurrence, risk factors, clinical manifestations, diagnostic approaches and treatment of syphilis.
METHODS: Over a period of 33 months, participants with positive test results for Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay were studied using the SHCS database and an additional structured case report form.
RESULTS: Of 7244 cohort participants, 909 (12.5%) had positive syphilis serology. Among these, 633 had previously been treated and had no current signs or symptoms of syphilis at time of testing. Of 218 patients with newly detected untreated syphilis, 20% reported genitooral contacts as only risk behavior and 60% were asymptomatic. Newly detected syphilis was more frequent among men who have sex with men (MSM) [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.8, P < 0.001], in persons reporting casual sexual partners (adjusted OR 2.8, P < 0.001) and in MSM of younger age (P = 0.05). Only 35% of recommended cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) examinations were performed. Neurosyphilis was diagnosed in four neurologically asymptomatic patients; all of them had a Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) titer of 1:>or=32. Ninety-one percent of the patients responded to treatment with at least a four-fold decline in VDRL titer.
CONCLUSION: Syphilis remains an important coinfection in the SHCS justifying reintroduction of routine screening. Genitooral contact is a significant way of transmission and young MSM are at high risk for syphilis. Current guidelines to rule out neurosyphilis by CSF analysis are inconsistently followed in clinical practice. Serologic treatment response is above 90% in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy.
METHODS: Over a period of 33 months, participants with positive test results for Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay were studied using the SHCS database and an additional structured case report form.
RESULTS: Of 7244 cohort participants, 909 (12.5%) had positive syphilis serology. Among these, 633 had previously been treated and had no current signs or symptoms of syphilis at time of testing. Of 218 patients with newly detected untreated syphilis, 20% reported genitooral contacts as only risk behavior and 60% were asymptomatic. Newly detected syphilis was more frequent among men who have sex with men (MSM) [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.8, P < 0.001], in persons reporting casual sexual partners (adjusted OR 2.8, P < 0.001) and in MSM of younger age (P = 0.05). Only 35% of recommended cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) examinations were performed. Neurosyphilis was diagnosed in four neurologically asymptomatic patients; all of them had a Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) titer of 1:>or=32. Ninety-one percent of the patients responded to treatment with at least a four-fold decline in VDRL titer.
CONCLUSION: Syphilis remains an important coinfection in the SHCS justifying reintroduction of routine screening. Genitooral contact is a significant way of transmission and young MSM are at high risk for syphilis. Current guidelines to rule out neurosyphilis by CSF analysis are inconsistently followed in clinical practice. Serologic treatment response is above 90% in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy.
Keywords
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/diagnosis, AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/drug therapy, Adult, Female, HIV Infections/complications, HIV Infections/drug therapy, Homosexuality, Male/statistics & numerical data, Humans, Male, Mass Screening, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Switzerland/epidemiology, Syphilis/diagnosis, Syphilis/drug therapy, Treponema pallidum/isolation & purification, United States/epidemiology, Unsafe Sex
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
17/08/2010 15:43
Last modification date
20/08/2019 14:01