The Epidemiology of Early Syphilis in Houston, Texas, 1994-1995

• Published in: Sexually transmitted diseases Vol. 24; no. 8; pp. 475 - 480
• Main Authors: MARUTI, SANCHIT, HWANG, LU-YU, ROSS, MICHAEL, LEONARD, LORI, PAFFEL, JOHN, HOLLINS, LINDA
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott-Raven Publishers 01-09-1997; Lippincott; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; Epidemiology; Female; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Sex Distribution; Sexual Behavior; Sexually transmitted diseases; Socioeconomic Factors; STD; Syphilis - epidemiology; Syphilis - prevention & control; Texas - epidemiology; United States; North America; Texas; America; Houston Texas; Infection; Human; Sexually transmitted disease; Syphilis; Bacteriosis; Early; Epidemiology; Spirachaetosis; Treponematosis
• ISSN: 0148-5717; 1537-4521
• DOI: 10.1097/00007435-199709000-00006

Background and Objectives: Since 1990, rates of syphilis in the United States have steadily declined. However, the South still records disproportionately high rates of syphilis infection. Goal: The objective of this study is to describe the epidemiology of early syphilis in Houston, TX, the largest urban center in the South, in 1994 and 1995. Study Design: The study is cross-sectional and descriptive, and uses data collected by Disease Intervention Specialists on the Interview Form 73.54 from interviews with men and women diagnosed with early syphilis. Results: Early syphilis in Houston is highly concentrated in a "belt" that extends north to south in a line just east of the city center. Although sex-specific rates of early syphilis are roughly equal, men are 3.5 times more likely than women to be diagnosed with primary syphilis, whereas women are nearly 2 times more likely than men to be diagnosed with secondary syphilis and 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with early latent syphilis. Conclusion: Routine surveillance data indicate that young, African-American men and women in Houston's inner-city neighborhoods are disproportionately affected by syphilis. Particular efforts must be made to reach women, who are detected and treated at later stages of the disease than men.