SEROPREVALENCE OF HIV INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH POSITIVE SYPHILIS SEROLOGY

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) seroprevalence in patients with positive syphilis serology. Materials and methods: 105 (8.4%) samples, which were found positive with the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and/or the Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay (TPHA) tests, were also tested with the anti-HIV-1/2 quick test (INSTI HIV1/HIV2 Antibody Test, Bartel Inc. USA) for the detection of HIV, any sample that gave positive result, was submitted to enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) (Behring Diagnostics, Marburg), and then western blot (WB) (HIV BLOT 2.2, Diagnostic Biotechnology Ltd. USA) as confirmatory test. The samples with positive results were also tested with the Serodia Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TP. PA) (SerodiaTP. PA, Fujirebio Inc., Japan); the Murex Syphilis ICE (ICE), IgG+IgM (ELISA), (ICE Syphilis Detection Pack, Murex Biotech Limited, Dartford, UK); the Enzywell TP (TP), IgG+M (ELISA) (Diesse, Sienna, Italy); the Captia Syphilis-M (CS-M) (IgM) (ELISA) (CaptiaTMSyphilis-M, Trinity Biotech plc, Ireland) and the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption assay (FTA-abs) tests (MastaflourTM-FTA-ABS, Mast Diagnostics, UK) as other specific treponemal tests. Results: Two RPR positive TPHA negative patient sera were found as HIV seropositive with the ELISA and WB tests. Additionally, in these samples all other specific tests as the TP. PA, ICE, TP, CS-M and the FTA-abs tests were found as negative. So, these two anti-HIV positive sera were evaluated as biologic false-positive (BFP) reaction of syphilis. Non of the sera with positive syphilis reaction was found as positive for anti-HIV reaction. Conclusion: Because patients who have acquired a sexually transmissed disease (STD) have demonstrated their potential risk for acquiring HIV infection all patients with syphilis serology positive should be counseled concerning the risk of HIV.