title: Syphilis resurgence in Dublin, Ireland.
abstract: A large outbreak of syphilis was reported in Dublin, Ireland, in 2001. The mean age of patients in 2001 was 35 years and 22.5% of patients were HIV-positive. The number of new cases decreased from 2003 on, however, new diagnoses have again increased. All positive syphilis serology results from 2007-09 were identified. Patients were included if they had a newly positive syphilis serology or, in the case of patients with previously treated syphilis, had a four-fold rise in rapid plasma reagin titre. Four hundred and thirty-nine new diagnoses of syphilis were made. The mean age of patients at diagnosis was 35.7 years (range 17-73 years). Four hundred and twelve (93.8%) cases occurred in men. Three hundred and eighty-one (86.8%) cases occurred in men who have sex with men (MSM). The estimated crude incidence rate among MSM is 378.16 per 100,000 population. Where known, 126/421 (28.7%) occurred in HIV-positive patients. Sixty-eight (15.5%) episodes of syphilis infection were diagnosed in patients who had had previously been diagnosed and treated for syphilis; 43/68 (63.2%) cases of re-infection occurred in HIV-positive patients. The rising number of syphilis diagnoses and high associated HIV co-infection rate is concerning and prevention efforts must continue to decrease the number of new syphilis cases.
authors: St James's Hospital, Genitourinary Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Dublin, Ireland. eavan@esatclear.ie
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Muldoon
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Mulcahy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult