Prevalence of Syphilis among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Buenos Aires, Argentina

AVILA MM; PANDO MA; GRIENBERG G; MAULEN S; MARONE R; DURANTI R; OLSON JG; MONTANO S; SANCHEZ J; WEISSENBACHER M

Punta del Este

Congreso; 8th World STI/AIDS Congress; 2003

Objective: The aim of the present work was to estimate the syphilis prevalence and the coinfection with HIV, hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) virus in a population of MSM from Buenos Aires City. Different behavioral and epidemiological data were collected in order to evaluate risk factors associated with STIs. Methods:  Syphilis diagnosis was retrospectively performed on samples from a population of 694 MSM from Buenos Aires and its surroundings. Samples were collected between 2000 and 2001 with the aim of estimating HIV, HCV and HBV seroprevalences. At that time, MSM were asked to participate in the study and invited to receive STIs counseling and testing by NEXO (an MSM non-governmental organization). Informed consent and a questionnaire on socio-epidemiological data were confidentially obtained in each interview. Syphilis testing was performed with commercial kits (VDRL, hemaglutination and fluorescence tests) on samples stored at –70° C. Results: The prevalence of syphilis in the MSM sample was 17.2%. The HIV, HCV and HBV prevalences in this population were previously estimated as 13.8%  for HIV, 1.6%  for HCV and 41.9%  for HBV. Treponema pallidum  infection was significantly associated with HBV infection, HCV infection, low formal education level, more sex partners and history of other STIs. 51.2% of the MSM had at least one STIs and 21.1% had two or more. The most frequent common coinfections were HBV and syphilis, and HBV and HIV, both detected in 8.6% of the MSM. Conclusions: This MSM population has a high prevalence of T. pallidum infection and coinfection with other STIs, especially HBV . Both infections are associated with sexual activity which was the major risk detected in this MSM population.  Injected drug use in this population was low (0.4%).