Syphilis resurgence in Dublin, Ireland

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• A syphilis outbreak in Dublin began in 2001, with a mean patient age of 35 and 22.5% HIV co-infection.
• While new syphilis cases initially decreased after 2003, recent data indicate a resurgence in diagnoses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in syphilis diagnoses and co-infections in Dublin between 2007 and 2009.
• To identify demographic factors and risk groups associated with new and re-occurring syphilis infections.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of all positive syphilis serology results from 2007-2009.
• Inclusion criteria: newly positive syphilis serology or a four-fold rise in Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) titre in previously treated patients.

Main Results:

• 439 new syphilis diagnoses were made, with a mean age of 35.7 years.
• 93.8% of cases occurred in men, and 86.8% of all cases were among men who have sex with men (MSM).
• 28.7% of syphilis cases were HIV-positive, and 15.5% were re-infections, with 63.2% of re-infections occurring in HIV-positive individuals.

Conclusions:

• The rising incidence of syphilis diagnoses and high rates of HIV co-infection in Dublin are significant public health concerns.
• Targeted prevention strategies are crucial to curb the increasing number of new syphilis infections, especially within the MSM population.