Increase in syphilis among men who have sex with men in Brazil
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This article aims to report the prevalence of syphilis and its associated factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Brazil. Respondent-driven sampling was conducted in 12 cities in Brazil between June and December 2016. The target sample size was 350 MSM in each city. Five to six seeds were selected to initiate recruitment and coupons and interviews were conducted online. MSM were considered syphilis-positive if the RST+ and Venereal Disease Research Laboratory results were positive for FTA-Abs. A total of 4176 MSM were recruited. The lifetime prevalence of syphilis was 26.9% (95%CI: 24.0-29.9). The prevalence of active syphilis is 13.2%. Factors associated with active syphilis were as follows: age < 25 years (PR: 1.67, 95%CI: 1.29-2.17), use of mobile dating apps to seek sexual partners (PR: 1.35, 95%CI: 1.01-1.80), and previous diagnosis of sexually transmitted infection (STI) (PR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.03-1.70). A high prevalence of active syphilis among MSM, particularly young individuals, was found. Approaches to the development of health interventions for MSM STI screening and treatment should be applied.
Source: Ciência & Saúde Coletiva
Authors: Ligia Kerr, Ana Rita Coimbra Motta-Castro, Marto Leal, Rosane da Silva Santana, Rosa Maria Salani Mota, Regina Célia Moreira, Elaine Lopes de Oliveira, Edilene Peres Real da Silveira, Andréa Fachel Leal, Daniela Knauth, Maria Amélia Veras, Ana Maria de Brito, Edgar Merchan-Hamann, Ximena Pamela Diaz Bermudez, Alexandre Kerr Pontes, Raimunda Hermelinda Maia Macena, Luana Nepomuceno Costa Lima, Mark Drew Crosland Guimarães, Inês Dourado, Lisângela Cristina Oliveira, Luis Fernando Macedo Brígido, Ana Roberta Pati Pascom, Carla Kerr Pontes, Laio Magno, Anya Pimentel Gomes Fernandes Vieira-Meyer, Ivana Cristina de Holanda Cunha Barreto, Carl Kendall
Institutions: Universidade Federal do Ceará, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Universidade de Brasília, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Universidade Federal da Bahia, UniBrasil Centro Universitário, Ministério da Saúde, Tulane University
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7213935615