Increasing syphilis rates among men who have sex with men and screening to detect asymptomatic infection

Abstract

Abstract. With reports of increasing syphilis rates among men who have sex with men in various countries and complications such as ocular syphilis and neurosyphilis, greater efforts for promoting frequent syphilis screening of higher risk men are required. This should include serological testing for syphilis every time HIV testing is undertaken and each time HIV viral load testing is performed in HIV-positive men who have sex with men. Systems-based approaches tailored to particular contexts should be explored, evaluated and, if shown to be effective, implemented. Recent reports from a growing number of countries indicate that syphilis rates among men who have sex with men (MSM) are on the rise and have, in some cases, reached levels not seen for more than 20 years.