       Document 0694
 DOCN  M9630694
 TI    Similar serological response to conventional therapy for syphilis among
       HIV-positive and HIV-negative women.
 DT    9603
 AU    Goeman J; Kivuvu M; Nzila N; Behets F; Edidi B; Gnaore E; Van Dyck E;
       St. Louis M; Piot P; Laga M; Projet SIDA, Ministry of Health, Kinshasa,
       Zaire.
 SO    Genitourin Med. 1995 Oct;71(5):275-9. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96096203
 AB    OBJECTIVES--To compare characteristics of syphilis serological
       reactivity in HIV positive (+) and HIV negative (-) female sex workers,
       as well as the serological response to therapy after treatment with
       intramuscular benzathine penicillin, 2.4 million U weekly, for three
       consecutive weeks. METHODS--Rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and Treponema
       pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA) results of 72 HIV-positive and
       121 HIV-negative women reactive in both tests were assessed. The
       response to therapy was prospectively monitored with quantitative RPR
       serology in 47 HIV-positive and 73 HIV-negative patients. Cumulative
       probabilities of becoming nonreactive by RPR were compared at six
       months, one and two years after therapy. RESULTS--At enrolment, the
       geometric mean titres of RPR and TPHA were lower in HIV-positive
       patients (RPR, 1:2.6) than in HIV-negative patients (RPR, 1:3.8; p <
       0.01). The evolution over time of RPR titres was similar among
       HIV-positive patients as compared to HIV-negative patients. Among
       patients with an initial RPR titre of < 1:8, 53% of HIV-positive and 44%
       of HIV-negative patients became RPR negative two years after therapy.
       Among patients with an RPR titre of 1:8 or greater at enrolment, 83% of
       HIV-positive and 90% of HIV-negative patients had reached at least a
       fourfold decline of RPR titres two years after therapy.
       CONCLUSIONS--Syphilis serology findings (both RPR and TPHA) may be
       altered in the presence of HIV infection, but the serological response
       to therapy was similar in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients.
 DE    Adult  Comparative Study  Cross-Sectional Studies  Female
       Hemagglutination Tests  Human  *HIV Seronegativity  HIV
       Seropositivity/*COMPLICATIONS  Penicillin G, Benzathine/THERAPEUTIC USE
       Penicillins/THERAPEUTIC USE  Prospective Studies  Reagins/BLOOD
       Support, Non-U.S. Gov't  Syphilis/COMPLICATIONS/*DRUG
       THERAPY/*IMMUNOLOGY  Treponema pallidum/IMMUNOLOGY  JOURNAL ARTICLE

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

