BESTD.ORG/STD News: Gay and Bisexual Men with Syphilis Get Diagnosed Later

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are 45 percent less likely to be diagnosed with syphilis during the primary stage of infection, which results in longer infectious periods compared to heterosexual men.

Led by Dr. Robert A. Gunn, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers analyzed data on the 201 cases of primary and secondary syphilis diagnosed in San Diego County, California, between January 2000 and December 2003. Findings were presented at the 2004 STD Prevention Conference in Philadelphia, PA. About 72 percent of the syphilis cases occurred among MSM. In addition to being diagnosed later, MSM tended to be infectious for longer, and have a higher number of sex partners. MSM also tended to be less likely to have contact information for their sexual partners.

As a result, targeted prevention programs are needed to address the needs of MSM, said Dr. John Douglas, director of the CDC's STD prevention activities, one of the sponsors of the 2004 National STD Prevention Conference.

"Sexually transmitted diseases (STDS) continue to threaten the health of this country. In fact, a recent CDC analysis showed that an estimated 19 million STD infections occurred in the United States in the year 2000. Many of these STDs are easily cured or treated, but when left undiagnosed they can lead to serious medical consequences," said Dr. Douglas, one including, he warned, increased risk of HIV transmission.

Community-based prevention programs are showing promise, according to the CDC. In Houston, TX, there was a 22 percent increase in the number of MSM who were tested for syphilis in the city over the course of a single year, in part, because of an awareness campaign specifically targeting MSM. At the conference, another report from the Chicago Department of Public Health suggests that a syphilis campaign there led to greater knowledge among MSM that syphilis facilitates HIV transmission.