Seroprevalence of Syphilis Among HIV Sero-positive Patients Attending Immuno-supressed Syndrome Clinic at International Hospital Kampala.

Abstract

Background Syphilis has been a persistent public health challenge for developing countries, especially among HIV pandemic regions. The interaction of syphilis and HIV co infection is complex and remains the subject of ongoing research. Studies demonstrate that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including syphilis, and particularly genital ulcers, are associated with an increased risk of HIV acquisition (Christopher et al., 2006). The study was carried out to determine the sero-prevalence of syphilis among HIV sero-positive individuals attending the Immune Suppressed Syndrome (ISS) Clinic at International Hospital in Kampala Touch Namuwongo Project (TNP). Methodology A cross-sectional study conducted between January to April 2014. A total of 150 HIV individuals were enrolled for the study. They were screened for syphilis using Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) and TPHA as a confirmatory test. Results: The sero-prevalence of syphilis among HIV sero-positive individuals attending the Immune Suppressed Syndrome (ISS) Clinic at International Hospital in Kampala Touch Namuwongo Project (TNP) was 10%(15/150). Conclusion: Prevalence was high 10%, females were more affected than males, and the commonly affected age group was 23-30 years, therefore there is a need for integration of syphilis diagnosis and management in HIV clients more so among the youths.