The changing epidemiology of syphilis: new strategies for new challenges in China

Syphilis was nearly eliminated from China in the 1960s; however, it has resurgent and continued to spread in the country since the 1980s. Surveillance data from China revealed that the notification rate of syphilis increased 11.88% annually between 2004 and 2019, with an notification rate of 38.37 per 100,000 population in 2019. This paper aims to summarize the national policies and plans for syphilis since the 1980s; the full-cycle management strategy for the publicity and education, screening, diagnosis and treatment, management, and surveillance and monitoring of syphilis; the epidemiology of syphilis; and challenges in the prevention and control in China. Finally, we propose a series of new strategies to better manage syphilis to help eliminate the infection in China.