Merdan Selim, Ekenoğlu Merdan Yağmur, Aydoğan Okan
Flow Cytometry Laboratory, Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye.
Department of Medical Microbiology, Biruni University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye.
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2025 Jun 24. doi: 10.1007/s10096-025-05199-1.
Syphilis and HIV are closely linked infections with shared transmission routes and risk factors. Despite effective screening and treatment options, the prevalence of syphilis remains high among people living with HIV (PLWH), especially in middle-income countries like Türkiye.
To investigate the seroprevalence of syphilis among PLWH using centralized laboratory data and to assess its distribution by age and sex.
A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing data derived from blood specimens submitted to our laboratory for routine CD4⁺ T cell enumeration, ultimately analyzing 2,768 PLWH between January 2022 and December 2024. Syphilis seropositivity was defined by concurrent positivity in both VDRL and TPHA tests. Demographic and clinical variables were analyzed using SPSS v.22.0.
Syphilis seropositivity was detected in 923 patients (33.3%). The prevalence was significantly higher among males (37.0%) compared to females (6.1%) (p < 0.001). The highest seroprevalence was observed in patients aged 31-40 years (37.4%). There was no significant difference in mean age between syphilis-positive and syphilis-negative groups (p > 0.05).
This study reveals a high burden of syphilis among PLWH in Türkiye, particularly in younger male populations. The findings underscore the necessity for routine syphilis screening, targeted prevention strategies, and integrated STI care within HIV programs.
梅毒和艾滋病毒是密切相关的感染，具有共同的传播途径和风险因素。尽管有有效的筛查和治疗方案，但梅毒在艾滋病毒感染者（PLWH）中的患病率仍然很高，尤其是在土耳其这样的中等收入国家。
利用集中实验室数据调查PLWH中梅毒的血清流行率，并按年龄和性别评估其分布情况。
通过回顾提交至我们实验室进行常规CD4⁺T细胞计数的血液标本数据，开展了一项回顾性横断面研究，最终分析了2022年1月至2024年12月期间的2768名PLWH。梅毒血清阳性定义为VDRL和TPHA检测同时呈阳性。使用SPSS v.22.0分析人口统计学和临床变量。
在923名患者（33.3%）中检测到梅毒血清阳性。男性（37.0%）的患病率显著高于女性（6.1%）（p<0.001）。31至40岁患者的血清流行率最高（37.4%）。梅毒阳性组和梅毒阴性组的平均年龄无显著差异（p>0.05）。
本研究揭示了土耳其PLWH中梅毒的高负担，尤其是在年轻男性人群中。研究结果强调了在艾滋病毒项目中进行常规梅毒筛查、针对性预防策略和综合性性传播感染护理的必要性。
