Syphilis and HIV coinfection - Hungarian Sexually Transmitted Infection Centre Experience between 2005 and 2013.
BACKGROUND
STIs like HIV and syphilis are acquired as comorbidities by high risk populations and may influence their original course and prognosis.


METHODS
Between January of 2005 and 2013 data of syphilis and HIV patients were collected at the Department of Dermatology of Semmelweis University, Budapest. Diagnostic procedures included clinical analysis and screening of serum samples for Treponema pallidum and HIV antibodies.


RESULTS
A total of 1,401 new syphilitic and 338 new HIV infections were diagnosed. In syphilis patients 86.58% had monoinfection,7.92% already had an HIV infection and 5.5% had acquired syphilis and HIV infection simultaneously, so 22.78% of the new HIV patients acquired the infection with syphilis together. Male gender, MSM (men who had sex with men) orientation and positive past venerological history were dominant in all groups. Most patients were diagnosed in a latent infectious stage based on the result of a serological check-up. Secondary stage and neurosyphilis were more common in coinfections.


CONCLUSIONS
(i) male gender, MSM orientation, and positive venerological history are risk factors for acquiring new STIs, (ii) clinical course were different in HIV infected patients, (iii) but their timely and regular check-ups resulted in earlier diagnosis of syphilis, suggesting the necessity for frequent screening.
Semmelweis University Department of Dermatology, Dermatooncology, and Venereology Budapest Hungary.
Katinka
K
Pónyai
Eszter
E
Ostorházi
Noémi
N
Mihalik
Ferenc
F
Rozgonyi
Sarolta
S
Kárpáti
Márta
M
Marschalkó
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D060085:Coinfection; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055815:Young Adult
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015483:HIV Antibodies