Dataset Information

Case-control study of risk factors for incident syphilis infection among men who have sex with men in Tokyo, Japan.

ABSTRACT: IntroductionIn Japan, syphilis notifications have increased. Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Tokyo have contributed substantially to the increase in syphilis notifications. We thus aimed to determine the correlates of incident syphilis among them.MethodsMSM who attended a Tokyo clinic that serves sexual minorities were recruited in a case-control study in 2015. A case was seropositive for primary/secondary/asymptomatic syphilis at enrolment visit and seronegative at prior visit or had oral ulcers positive for Treponema pallidum DNA at enrolment. For each case, two controls seronegative at enrolment and prior visit were selected. Using logistic regression, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated to assess for correlates of case status.ResultsAmong 35 cases, the median age was 37 (range = 21–63) years and was similar to the 71 controls. Among HIV-positive participants (26 cases and 67 controls), cases were independently associated with higher frequency of anal or oral sex (OR = 3.4; 95% CI = 1.4–8.6; increase per category from < 1/month, ? 1/month but < 1/week, to ? 1/week) and no or inconsistent condom use during anal or oral sex (OR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.1–8.3; increase per category from using every time, occasionally, to never), adjusted for residency and time between visits.DiscussionModifiable behaviours were associated with incident syphilis, and dissemination of prevention messages are needed.

SUBMITTER: Ishikane M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7043094 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundThe epidemiology of incident syphilis infection among HIV-1-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) largely remains unknown.MethodsThe incidence and risk factors for incident syphilis (positive TPHA and RPR> = 1:8) among HIV-1-infected MSM who visited a large HIV clinic in Tokyo for the first time between 2008 and 2013 were determined, using clinical data and stored blood samples taken every three months for screening and determination of the date of incident syphilis. Poisson regression compared the incidence of syphilis at different observation periods.ResultsOf 885 HIV-1-infected MSM with baseline data, 34% either presented with active syphilis at baseline (21%) or became infected with syphilis during follow-up (13%). After excluding 214 patients (MSM with syphilis at baseline (n = 190) and no follow-up syphilis test (n = 24)), of 671 men, 112 (17%) developed incident syphilis with an incidence of 43.7/1,000 person-years [95% CI, 36.5-52.3]. The incidence decreased slightly during observation period although the trend was not significant (2008-2009: 48.2/1,000 person-years, 2010-2011: 51.1/1,000 person-years, 2012-2013: 42.6/1,000 person-years, 2014 to 2015: 37.9/1,000 person-years, p = 0.315). Multivariable analysis identified young age (<33 years versus >40, HR 4.0, 95%CI 2.22-7.18, p<0.001), history of syphilis at baseline (HR 3.0, 95%CI 2.03-4.47, p<0.001), positive anti-amoeba antibody (HR 1.8, 95%CI 1.17-2.68, p = 0.006), and high baseline CD4 count (CD4 ?350 /?L versus CD4 <200, HR 1.6, 95%CI 1.00-2.53, p = 0.050) as risk factors for incident syphilis. Incidence of syphilis was particularly high among young patients (age <33 years: 60.1/1,000 person-years). Interestingly, 37% of patients with incident syphilis were asymptomatic.ConclusionsAlthough incidence of syphilis did not increase during the observation period, it was high among HIV-1-infected MSM, especially among young HIV-1-infected MSM and those with history of syphilis, in Tokyo. Regular screening for syphilis needs to be strictly applied to this population.

Project description:BackgroundSyphilis is concentrated among high-risk groups, but the epidemiology of syphilis reinfection is poorly understood. We characterized factors associated with syphilis incidence, including reinfection, in a high-risk cohort in Peru.MethodsParticipants in the NIMH CPOL trial were assessed at baseline and 2 annual visits with HIV/STI testing and behavioral surveys. Participants diagnosed with syphilis also attended 4- and 9-month visits. All participants underwent syphilis testing with RPR screening and TPPA confirmation. Antibiotic treatment was provided according to CDC guidelines. Reinfection was defined as a 4-fold titer increase or recurrence of seroreactivity after successful treatment with subsequent negative RPR titers. The longitudinal analysis used a Possion generalized estimating equations model with backward selection of variables in the final model (criteria P <0.02).ResultsOf 2,709 participants, 191 (7.05%) were RPR-reactive (median 1:8, range 1:1-1:1024) with TPPA confirmation. There were 119 total cases of incident syphilis, which included both reinfection and first-time incident cases. In the bivariate analysis, the oldest 2 quartiles of age (incidence ratio (IR) 3.84; P <0.001 and IR 8.15; P <0.001) and being MSM/TW (IR 6.48; P <0.001) were associated with higher risk of incident syphilis infection. Of the sexual risk behaviors, older age of sexual debut (IR 12.53; P <0.001), not being in a stable partnership (IR 1.56, P = 0.035), higher number of sex partners (IR 3.01; P <0.001), unprotected sex in the past 3 months (IR 0.56; P = 0.003), HIV infection at baseline (IR 3.98; P <0.001) and incident HIV infection during the study period (IR 6.26; P = 0.003) were all associated with incident syphilis. In the multivariable analysis, older age group (adjusted incidence ratio (aIR) 6.18; P <0.001), men reporting having sex with a man (aIR 4.63; P <0.001), and incident HIV infection (aIR 4.48; P = 0.008) were significantly associated.ConclusionsWe report a high rate of syphilis reinfection among high-risk men who have evidence of previous syphilis infection. Our findings highlight the close relationship between HIV incidence with both incident syphilis and syphilis reinfection. Further studies on syphilis reinfection are needed to understand patterns of syphilis reinfection and new strategies beyond periodic testing of high-risk individuals based on HIV status are needed.

Dataset Information

Case-control study of risk factors for incident syphilis infection among men who have sex with men in Tokyo, Japan.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure