How infectious is syphilis?
In a study of the sexual contacts of patients with primary and secondary syphilis, 65 of 127 (51%) contacts at risk developed syphilis. There was no significant difference between figures for homosexuals (48/98, 49%) and for heterosexuals (17/29, 58%). Our findings are similar to those of the prepenicillin era, but the question, Why are so few contacts infected? remains unanswered.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D013587:Syphilis / Q000635:transmission*; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom