Background since the beginning of 2000, northern countries have reported a significant increase in syphilis, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM).
The authors aim to identify risk factors for syphilis among men who have sex with men in Lille, a major city in northern France.
Methods a matched case-control study was conducted for men who had sex with men aged ≥ 18 years.
Between April 2008 and June 2010, cases were diagnosed with primary, secondary or early latent syphilis.
Control measures seek care at sexually transmitted infections clinics or follow up at HIV clinics.
There was no history of syphilis in the control group and no current syphilis.
Their age and HIV status matched the case.
Multivariate conditional logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of syphilis.
Results a total of 53 patients with syphilis were selected.
The average age was 37, and 47% were infected with HIV. infected.
For analysis, they matched with 90 controls.
The factors associated with syphilis are: low educational level (OR=5. 38, 95% CI 1. 94 to 14. 94; p=0. 001)
, Performing oral sex with casual male partners without condoms (OR=4. 86, 95% CI 1. 63 to 14. 48; p=0. 005)
Use anal sex toys with casual male partners (OR=2. 72, 95% CI 1. 01 to 7. 32; p=0. 05).
Search for sexual partners online (OR=5. 17, 95% CI 1. 33 to 20. 11)
, Using WhatsApp (OR=2. 2, 95% CI 1. 1 to 4. 3)
And erectile dysfunction drugs (OR=1. 9, 95% CI 1. 0 to 13. 2)
Syphilis was associated only in the single-variable analysis.
Conclusion easy-to-accept oral sex without condoms and anal sex toys is considered to be a major risk of syphilis infection.
While these practices show a low risk of HIV transmission, the public is not aware of their impact on the transmission of other sexually transmitted infections.
Background since the beginning of 2000, northern countries have reported a significant increase in syphilis, especially for men who have sex with men (MSM).
The authors aim to identify risk factors for syphilis among men who have sex with men in Lille, a major city in northern France.
Methods a matched case-control study was conducted for men who had sex with men aged ≥ 18 years.
Between April 2008 and June 2010, cases were diagnosed with primary, secondary or early latent syphilis.
Control measures seek care at sexually transmitted infections clinics or follow up at HIV clinics.
There was no history of syphilis in the control group and no current syphilis.
Their age and HIV status matched the case.
Multivariate conditional logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of syphilis.
Results a total of 53 patients with syphilis were selected.
The average age was 37, and 47% were infected with HIV. infected.
For analysis, they matched with 90 controls.
The factors associated with syphilis are: low educational level (OR=5. 38, 95% CI 1. 94 to 14. 94; p=0. 001)
, Performing oral sex with casual male partners without condoms (OR=4. 86, 95% CI 1. 63 to 14. 48; p=0. 005)
Use anal sex toys with casual male partners (OR=2. 72, 95% CI 1. 01 to 7. 32; p=0. 05).
Search for sexual partners online (OR=5. 17, 95% CI 1. 33 to 20. 11)
, Using WhatsApp (OR=2. 2, 95% CI 1. 1 to 4. 3)
And erectile dysfunction drugs (OR=1. 9, 95% CI 1. 0 to 13. 2)
Syphilis was associated only in the single-variable analysis.
Conclusion easy-to-accept oral sex without condoms and anal sex toys is considered to be a major risk of syphilis infection.
While these practices show a low risk of HIV transmission, the public is not aware of their impact on the transmission of other sexually transmitted infections.
Funding for this work is supported by the San Perick regional Foundation (GRSP)Nord-
Province of Calais, France.
Funders do not have any role in the conduct of the study or in the preparation of the manuscript.
YY's competitive interest group received a travel grant from Bristol, a gratuity presented at the seminar and a consultation gratuity
Noble, Gillette, Glaxo-
SmithKline, Merck, Pfizer, Roche and Tibotec.
No conflict of interest was reported by other authors.
Ethical approval is provided by CCTIRS and CNIL (
French authorities).
Uncommissioned source and peer review;
External peer review.