The Disease of All Times: A Retrospective Study of 272 Syphilis Cases

Authors : Tülay Ünver Ulusoy, Aslı Haykir Solay, Hacer Demirköse, Semanur Kuzi, Can Huseyin Hekimoglu, Irfan Şencan

Pages : 8-14

Doi:10.31067/acusaglik.1269980

View : 73 | Download : 54

Publication Date : 2024-01-31

Article Type : Research

Abstract :Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the changes in our syphilis cases over the years, their demographic and clinical characteristics, and their laboratory findings. Methods: The study included patients diagnosed with syphilis between 2018 and 2022 at a tertiary hospital\'s Dermatology and Infectious Diseases (ID) outpatient clinics. Patients\'; demographic, clinical, and laboratory data evaluated at the time of diagnosis. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 20.0 program was used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 272 syphilis cases were included in the study. Among these cases, 82.4% were male, and 39.6% were 41–60 years old. In total, 7.4% were anti-HIV, and 2.9% were positive for HBsAg. The rates of the cases diagnosed at primary and secondary stages were 74.4%. Syphilis cases were detected more in 2018 than in other years (except 2020) and fewer in 2022 than in other years (p< 0.001). Anti-HIV positive cases were diagnosed more frequently at ID outpatient clinics, and cases with clinical findings were diagnosed more at dermatology outpatient clinics (p< 0.001). The rate of sexual partners not tested for syphilis was significantly higher in males than in females (p= 0.027). The rates of syphilis cases in the study and Turkey as a whole were similar in 2018–2019 but significantly different in 2020-2021-2022 (p< 0.001). Conclusion: Reporting syphilis is essential to identify the at-risk population prevent complications, and reduce transmission. Monitoring the profile of syphilis cases admitted to the hospital can increase the detection rate of syphilis cases.
Keywords : syphilis, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, detection rate