Sociodemographic, clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the men with HIV infection and syphilis in St. Petersburg

Abstract

The purpose statement is to analyze the socio-demographic, clinical, epidemiological, and behavioral characteristics of patients with only HIV infection and those co-infected with HIV and Tr. pallidum, which are under supervision in St. Petersburg GBUZ «Center for the Prevention and Control of AIDS and Infectious Diseases».Material and methods. The data of outpatient cards of 588 patients who were registered in the dispensary at the St. Petersburg Central Clinical Center in the period from 2018 to 2020 were studied, and the data of the cards of males (435 people) were selected. Patients were divided into two groups: with HIV monoinfection (198 people) and with a combination of HIV infection and syphilis (237 people).Results. Patients co-infected compared with HIV-only patients were less likely to have higher education, were less likely to be married, were diagnosed with HIV infection more often at self-report and during routine examination, there were more men who hade sex with men (homosexual), and bisexual men. Co-infected patients were less likely to have used drugs in the present or in the past and were primarily infected with HIV through sexual contact. They were diagnosed mainly with early forms of syphilis. In patients with coinfection, concomitant diseases of the kidneys, cardiovascular, endocrine systems were often detected, and a high comorbidity with chronic hepatitis B was also noted.Conclusion. The identified socio-demographic, clinical, epidemiological and behavioral characteristics of men with HIV + syphilis coinfection indicate the need for more active work aimed at popularizing barrier contraception among men, especially MSM and prone to bisexual contacts; when syphilis is detected in HIV-infected patients, conduct a thorough examination of all organs and systems, extraordinary for the presence of viral hepatitis.