Comparison of syphilis seropositivity between non-immigrant and immigrant populations in the Anatolian side of Istanbul, Turkiye: Results of five-years retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE

Our study aimed to evaluate the seropositivity for syphilis in non- immigrant and immigrant populations and compare the results regarding demographic data.

METHODS

In accordance with the reverse algorithm, syphilis tests were performed between May 2014 and December 2018 in hospitals in our service zone for syphilis screening or symptomatic disease.

RESULTS

A total of 135.328 non- immigrant and 6.641 immigrant were screened for syphilis. Seropositivity rates were 1.3% in the non- immigrant and 3.8% in immigrant groups (p=0.0001). There was a statistically significant difference in terms of seropositivity rates between the various age groups in the local group and immigrant groups (except 18 25 age group) (p<0.05). Syphilis seropositivity rates were found to be lower in indigenous population than immigrant groups according to the years tested (p=0.0001). The seropositivity rates were 2.4% and 3.2% among the males (p=0.025) and 0.6% and 4.0% among females (p=0.0001) in non-immigrantand immigrant groups, respectively. Whereas, 0.6% of pregnant women in the local group and 3.7% of pregnant women in immigrant groups were seropositive for syphilis (p=0.0001). Among the HIV positive group, syphilis seropositivity was only observed in the non-immigrant group with a rate of 23.0% (p=0.0001).

CONCLUSION

The antibodies against syphilis were found more frequently in immigrants than non-immigrant. Among the HIV positive individuals syphilis seropositivity was only observed in the non-immigrant group.