Syphilis, HIV and other STI positivity in clients presenting as contacts of syphilis at Sydney Sexual Health Centre
Annika Blackie
A B , Christopher Bourne A C and Rick Varma A C D
A Sydney Sexual Health Centre, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia.
B Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Qld 4061, Australia.
C Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: rick.varma@health.nsw.gov.au
Sexual Health 18(4) 344-345 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH21087
Submitted: 29 April 2021 Accepted: 30 May 2021 Published: 24 August 2021
Abstract
There is a paucity of contemporary data pertaining to sexually transmitted infection test positivity of people presenting as contacts of syphilis. Over a 12 month period in 2018, within a sexual health service, we identified 191 (92% men who have sex with men) presentations, 7.8% were diagnosed with syphilis (three primary, four secondary, six early latent and two late latent infections). A total of 20.8% (38/183) were diagnosed with one or more STI including 54 non-syphilis infections: two (1.1%) new HIV; 26 (14.2%) Chlamydia trachomatis; and 24 (13.1%) Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Although syphilis test positivity in contacts is low, this population requires comprehensive STI screening and HIV prevention discussion.
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