Acet Oguzhan, Dirik Sukru, Pullukcu Husnu, Tasbakan Meltem, Gokengin Deniz
Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Kazımdirik District, Bornova, İzmir, 35100, Turkey.
Curr HIV Res. 2024;22(6):395-401. doi: 10.2174/011570162X314456241114055019.
INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to significant changes in the lives, habits, and frequency of hospital admissions of People Living with HIV (PLWH). However, information is limited on the changes in the sexual behavior of these individuals and the resulting Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). This study aimed to determine the trends in syphilis among the Ege University HIV cohort before and during the pandemic.
All PLWH who presented to the HIV outpatient clinic of Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, for HIV care for the first time between January 1st, 2008 and October 1st, 2022, and whose laboratory results for syphilis were available, were reviewed. Those presenting between January 1st, 2008, and March 11th, 2020, were defined as the pre-pandemic (group A) cases, and those presenting between March 12th, 2020, and October 1st, 2022, were defined as the pandemic period (group B) cases. Clinical and laboratory information about the cases was obtained retrospectively from medical records.
The number of PLWH who presented to the clinic for a first visit with a new HIV diagnosis or follow-up between the specified dates was 1283 (956 group A, 327 group B). Overall, 155 (12.1%) PLWH were diagnosed with syphilis. A total of 204 syphilis episodes occurred during 6,173 Person-years of Follow-up (PYFU). Of these episodes, 86 (42.1%) were diagnosed in the pre-pandemic period, and 118 (57.8%) during the pandemic. The number of episodes during the pandemic was significantly higher in group A than in the pre-pandemic period (3.47 per 100 PYFU and 2.57 per 100 PYFU, respectively; p=0.0434). When comparing the number of episodes during the pandemic period, compared to group A, group B members had a significantly higher number of syphilis episodes during the pandemic (3.47 and 7.81 per 100 PYFU, respectively; p<.001).
This study shows that syphilis rates remained high during the pandemic. Healthcare providers are recommended to prepare PLWH for potential emergencies to be encountered in the future and repeatedly remind them to use prevention in all high-risk circumstances.
引言/目的：严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）大流行导致感染艾滋病毒者（PLWH）的生活、习惯和住院频率发生了重大变化。然而，关于这些个体性行为变化及由此导致的性传播感染（STIs）的信息有限。本研究旨在确定大流行之前和期间埃杰大学艾滋病毒队列中梅毒的流行趋势。
回顾了2008年1月1日至2022年10月1日期间首次到埃杰大学医学院传染病与临床微生物学系艾滋病毒门诊接受艾滋病毒治疗且有梅毒实验室检测结果的所有PLWH。2008年1月1日至2020年3月11日期间就诊的患者被定义为大流行前（A组）病例，2020年3月12日至2022年10月1日期间就诊的患者被定义为大流行期间（B组）病例。病例的临床和实验室信息通过病历进行回顾性获取。
在指定日期之间首次因新的艾滋病毒诊断或随访到诊所就诊的PLWH有1283例（A组956例，B组327例）。总体而言，155例（12.1%）PLWH被诊断为梅毒。在6173人年的随访（PYFU）期间共发生204次梅毒发作。其中，86次（42.1%）发作在大流行前被诊断，118次（57.8%）在大流行期间被诊断。A组在大流行期间的发作次数显著高于大流行前（分别为每100 PYFU 3.47次和每100 PYFU 2.57次；p = 0.0434）。在比较大流行期间的发作次数时，与A组相比，B组成员在大流行期间的梅毒发作次数显著更多（分别为每100 PYFU 3.47次和每100 PYFU 7.81次；p <.001）。
本研究表明大流行期间梅毒发病率仍然很高。建议医疗保健提供者让PLWH为未来可能遇到的紧急情况做好准备，并反复提醒他们在所有高风险情况下采取预防措施。
