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HIV prevalence in patients with syphilis, United States
Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2000;27(1):53-59.
Blocker ME, Levine WC, St Louis ME.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Among persons with a sexually transmitted disease (STD), the proportion
who are also infected with HIV is a major factor influencing the public
health impact of that STD on HIV transmission. GOAL: To assess HIV infection
in persons with syphilis in the United States. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic
literature review was conducted of U.S. studies with HIV seroprevalence
data in patients with syphilis. RESULTS: Thirty studies were identified
and analyzed. The median HIV seroprevalence in men and women infected with
syphilis was 15.7% (interquartile range [IQR]: 13.6-21.8%), among men was
27.5% (23.1-29.6%), and among women was 12.4% (8.3-20.5%). Median odds ratios
for men and women, men only, and women only were 4.5, 8.5, and 3.3, respectively.
Seroprevalences among men who have sex with men (MSM) and injecting drug
users (IDU) ranged from 64.3-90.0% and 22.5-70.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:
Despite substantial variability, HIV seroprevalence is high among patients
with syphilis in the United States, identifying them as a critical target
group for HIV prevention efforts.