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Background: Syphilis is a common co-infection among patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Monitoring its prevalence is essential for effective public health control and prevention strategies.
Methods: This retrospective study evaluated Treponema pallidum hemagglutination (TPHA) test results of patients followed at the Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, between January 2019 and December 2021. Demographic and laboratory characteristics of HIV-infected patients were also analyzed.
Results: A total of 1,436 patients with available TPHA results were included in the study. TPHA positivity was detected in 22.3% of all cases. Among these, 353 patients (24.6%) were HIV-infected. The age distribution did not significantly differ between TPHA-negative and TPHA-positive subgroups (p > 0.05). However, the proportion of male patients was significantly higher in the TPHA-positive subgroup compared with the TPHA-negative subgroup (p < 0.05). Marital status distribution did not differ significantly between TPHA-negative and TPHA-positive groups (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: Given the increasing coexistence of syphilis and HIV infections in recent years, it is essential that individuals diagnosed with one sexually transmitted disease (STD) be screened for the other. Raising awareness among healthcare professionals and educating patients about the coexistence and transmission of sexually transmitted infections remain crucial for effective disease control and prevention.
DOI: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2025.251015
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