Investigation on HIV infection among syphilis patients

Abstract

Objective: Syphilis and HIV have similar transmission routes. Several studies have found evidence between the increase in HIV incidents and syphilis incidents. Both syphilis and HIV cases have increased in recent years in Turkey. In this study, it was investigated the correlation of HIV infection with syphilis infection via clinical and laboratory findings. Methods: In this study, the files of patients followed up with the diagnosis of syphilis by the Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Clinic of Mersin University Faculty of Medicine and Mersin Toros State Hospital between 2017 - 2019 were retrospectively reviewed and the rate of HIV coinfection and related factors were investigated. Results: Fifty–one patients with syphilis were included in the study. 39 (76.5%) of the patients were male and 12 (23.5%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 36.5 years. Due to the retrospective nature of this study, we could not obtain information about sexual preferences or other risk factors. Genital chancre was the most common finding in the primary stage, whereas the rash was the most common finding in the secondary stage. At presentation, four patients were primary, nine patients were secondary and 38 patients were in latent syphilis stage. HIV positivity was detected in 23 patients (45%). Primary and secondary stage were significantly more common in HIV positive cases and latent syphilis was common in HIV negative cases (p =0.007). All four patients in the primary stage had HIV positivity. Similarly, six of nine patients in the secondary stage were HIV positive and three were negative. Of the 39 patients with latent stage, the majority ( 64% ) were HIV negative. Conclusion: The frequency of syphilis and HIV has increased in recent years and coinfections are common. According to data from the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about half of homosexual men with primary and secondary syphilis are infected with HIV. In the our study, the primary and secondary stage were significantly more common in HIV positive cases. The primary and secondary stages of syphilis will be seen more frequently with the spread of HIV. HIV coinfection in patients with syphilis is higher than the rate of coinfection in HIV patients. Therefore, it was think that if the individuals diagnosed with syphilis can be followed for longer years as long as they do not change behavior, this rate may increase to higher values. In conclusion, syphilis should be considered in the diagnosis of rash patients. In addition, screening for HIV in syphilis - infected patients and planning trainings for sexually transmitted diseases with treatment are very important to prevent HIV transmission.