Syphilis in Poland in 2023

In 2023 there was a significant increase in the number of syphilis cases in Poland, more than 50% new cases were reported compare to previous year. There is still a problem with the clinical differentiation of reported cases, i.e. new infections, reinfections, and residual positive serological tests confirming the presence of antibodies against Treponema pallidum in previously successfully treated individuals.

The aim of the study was to assess the epidemiological situation of syphilis cases in Poland in 2023 in comparison to previous years.

Analysis of the epidemiological situation was based on case-based data from reports of newly detected syphilis cases received from doctors and laboratories and registered in 2023 year. Additionally aggregated data from MZ-56 reports on infectious diseases, infections and poisoning from 2017 to 2019 sent from Sanitary Inspections to NIPH NIH - NRI was used. Also, data about treatment patients in dermatology/venereology clinics in 2020-2023 reported on MZ-14 forms and published in the NIPH NIH - NRI bulletins were used.

In 2023, in Poland, 2,968 syphilis cases were reported (diagnosis rate was 7.89 per 100,000 population), including 130 cases among non-Polish citizens. The most often syphilis cases were detected among people below 30 years old (37.1%) and among men (88.1%). In 2023, early syphilis (ICD-10 code: A51) consisted 36.0% of all cases reported to surveillance (1,068 cases) and other syphilis and undetermined (ICD-10 code: A53) consisted 60.6% (1,799 cases).

In 2023, the number of reported syphilis cases increased more than by half compared to the previous year. The percentage of cases of early syphilis (the most infectious), which probably occurred in a short period of time, also remains high, what can influence on transmission this infection in population and lead to increase in the number of new cases.