       Document 0716
 DOCN  M9550716
 TI    Prevalence and incidence of syphilis and its association with HIV-1
       infection in a population-based study in the Kagera region of Tanzania.
 DT    9505
 AU    Killewo JZ; Sandstrom A; Bredberg Raden U; Mhalu FS; Biberfeld G; Wall
       S; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Muhimbili; University
       College of Health Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
 SO    Int J STD AIDS. 1994 Nov-Dec;5(6):424-31. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/95151866
 AB    Population-based prevalence and incidence studies on HIV-1 infection
       were started in the Kagera region of Tanzania in 1987. The prevalence
       and incidence of infection with Treponema pallidum was studied to enable
       development of better strategies for STD control. Serological diagnosis
       of a past or treated infection with Troponema pallidum was made by
       seropositivity only to TPHA testing while active syphilis was diagnosed
       by seropositivity to both VDRL and TPHA tests. Seroconversion was
       measured in 1989 by finding TPHA serologically positive individuals
       during the follow-up period among the initially seronegative study
       population of 1987. The overall prevalence of active syphilis in the
       total sample of adults in the region was found to be 5.9% while that of
       past syphilis was 13.5%. The association between the prevalence of HIV-1
       infection and syphilis of both types was found to be highly significant.
       However, the association between one pre-existing infection and
       seroconversion in the other was present but not statistically
       significant. The overall incidence of syphilis based on seroconversion
       in a cohort of adults in the region was found to be 11.6 per 1000
       person-years at risk. In view of these findings, syphilis is a
       significant health problem in the region with a high level of
       transmission and efforts should be made to control it. Intervention
       studies should use these base-line data and monitor changes in syphilis
       incidence which may indicate changes in sexual behaviour. Such
       indicators could also be useful for evaluating the impact of
       interventions directed at reducing the transmission of HIV, syphilis and
       other STDs in the region.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/COMPLICATIONS/*EPIDEMIOLOGY
       Adolescence  Adult  Age Factors  Female  Human  *HIV-1  Male  Middle Age
       Sex Factors  Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
       Syphilis/COMPLICATIONS/*EPIDEMIOLOGY  Syphilis Serodiagnosis
       Tanzania/EPIDEMIOLOGY  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

