V. Suneetha Devi Chappidi1, Sowmya Srirama2, Syam Sundar Junapudi3
BACKGROUND
Sexually transmitted infections (STI) are ancient and are as old as human
existence. They are closely interlinked with the human sexual behaviour. Syphilis
well known for its systemic complications in the pre-antibiotic era is described as
the ‘great imitator’ by Sir William Osler, the father of modern medicine. In the
present era of human immuno deficiency virus disease / acquired immuno
deficiency syndrome, STI control has been made as first priority, because of their
close association and interaction. Syphilis caused by Treponema pallidum is
diagnosed most often on clinical suspicion supplemented by laboratory diagnosis,
where serological tests for syphilis play a key role / main role.
METHODS
This study is a hospital based cross sectional study that consisted of 416 cases
among which, 276 were females, 140 were males who had attended the STI / RTI
clinic. The study period was from July 2011 to September 2012. Blood samples
were drawn from all the patients (who were willing to be included in the study)
attending the RTI / STI clinic, GGH, Guntur after taking consent. All the sera were
tested by rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test and the sera was screened
simultaneously for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Those sera which were
tested reactive for RPR were further tested in dilutions to know the titres. Later
the sera tested reactive for RPR were further tested by a specific test, Treponema
pallidum haemagglutination (TPHA).
RESULTS
Of the total 19 (4.56 %) persons tested reactive for RPR, males were 10 (7.14 %),
females were 9 (3.26 %), and these were further tested for TPHA. Of the 19 tested
for TPHA, a total of 16 (84.21 %) were positive for TPHA of which males were 9
(90 %) and females were 7 (77.78 %). Among the 16 patients, positive for
serological test for syphilis (STS), 13 (81.25 %) fall in the age group of 21 - 40, 2
(12.50 %) in the age group of ≤ 20, and 1 (6.25 %) is above 60 years of age.
CONCLUSIONS
In this study it was seen that out of the 16 syphilis cases, 9 were HIV reactive, 3
were non-reactive for HIV and 4 were of unknown status, showing that the rate
was more among the HIV reactive group. The prevalence rate of syphilis among
the 66 tested patients belonging to the high-risk group was 6.06 % and in nonhigh-
risk group was 3.12 %, showing that it was more in people belonging to high
risk group.
