High incidence of syphilis in HIV-positive homosexual men: data from two community-based cohort studies.

The article describes a study which investigated the incidence and risk factors of syphilis in two community-based cohorts of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative and HIV-positive gay men in Sydney, New South Wales. It notes that the participants underwent annual face-to-face interviews, and syphilis screening was offered. According to this study, 21 men in the HIV-negative cohort seroconverted to syphillis while in the HIV-positive cohort, eight men seroconverted. The study concludes that syphilis incidence is higher in HIV-positive than in HIV-negative gay men.