Increased syphilis screening boosts detection of early latent infections among Australian gay men

Big number of syphilis tests among gays increased detection of early latent infections and it was also followed by a recession in several cases of secondary syphilis, “investigators report in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases”.

Increased serological screening of MSM for syphilis have interrupted the progression of syphilis and prevented sequelae such as ocular and neurosyphilis.

Since the late 1990s, rates of syphilis have been increasing among gay allover the World and a big number of infections include HIV-positive MSM.

There are 4 stages of syphilis infection:

• primary,
• secondary,
• early latent and
• tertiary syphilis.

Among men with HIV, there was a correlation between the decreasing proportion of cases of secondary syphilis and increased testing coverage and increased frequency of testing. That means, measures such as vaccine development, chemoprophylaxis and MSNicommunity screening plays an important role in syphilis prevention.