Syphilis

General Principles

  • Syphilis is caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum.
  • There is a high rate of HIV coinfection in patients with syphilis, from 40% to 70%, and HIV infection should be excluded with appropriate testing.1
  • Syphilis can have an atypical course in HIV-infected patients; treatment failures and progression to neurosyphilis are more frequent in this population.
  • Syphilis rates in the United States are increasing since the year 2000, especially among MSM.

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