title: HIV infections and associated costs attributable to syphilis coinfection among African Americans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We estimated the number and cost of syphilis-attributable HIV cases among African Americans.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mathematical model of HIV transmission was used to estimate the number of partnerships consisting of HIV-discordant African Americans in which infectious syphilis was present and the number of new HIV cases attributable to syphilis in these partnerships.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2000, an estimated 545 new cases of HIV infection among African Americans could be attributed to the facilitative effects of infectious syphilis, at a cost of about 113 million dollars.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Syphilis prevention could reduce HIV incidence rates and the disproportionate burden of HIV/AIDS on the African American community, resulting in substantial reductions in future HIV/AIDS medical costs.
authors.affiliation: Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA 30324, USA. hbc7@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Harrell W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chesson
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Pinkerton
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Voigt
authors.forename: George W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Counts
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015897:Comorbidity; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000635:transmission*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000145:classification*; D019529:Sexuality / Q000145:classification / Q000208:ethnology; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications* / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology