High Prevalence of Treponema pallidum Infection in Brazilian Prisoners

Maisa Estopa Correa Laboratório de Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil;

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Julio Croda Laboratório de Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil;
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil;

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Ana Rita Coimbra Motta de Castro Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil;
Laboratório de Imunologia Clínica, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil;

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Sandra Maria do Valle Leone de Oliveira Faculdade de Medicina (FAMED), Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil;

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Maurício Antonio Pompilio Faculdade de Medicina (FAMED), Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil;

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Ronaldo Omizolo de Souza Laboratório de Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil;

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Júlio Henrique Ferreira de Sá Queiroz Laboratório de Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil;

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Kesia Esther da Silva Laboratório de Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil;

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Albert I. Ko Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Disease, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut;
Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Brazil

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Simone Simionatto Laboratório de Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil;

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.17-0098
Volume/Issue:
Volume 97: Issue 4
Page(s):
1078–1084
Restricted access
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The number of new syphilis cases in Brazil has risen alarmingly in recent years. However, there is limited data regarding syphilis prevalence in the Brazilian prison population. To facilitate the development of effective interventions, a cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Treponema pallidum infection, active syphilis, and associated risk factors among Brazilian prisoners. We administered a questionnaire to a population-based sample of prisoners from 12 prisons in Central-West Brazil and collected sera for syphilis testing, from January to December 2013. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were performed to assess associations with active syphilis. We recruited 3,363 prisoners (men: 84.6%; women: 15.4%). The overall lifetime and active syphilis prevalences were 10.5% (9.4% among men; 17% among women, P < 0.001) and 3.8% (2% among men; 9% among women, P < 0.001), respectively. The variables associated with active syphilis in men prisoners were homosexual preference, history of sexually transmitted infections, and human immunodeficiency virus status. Among women, the factors were sex with intravenous drug users, genital ulcer disease, and previous incarceration. Despite the high prevalence of active syphilis, 88.5% reported unawareness of their serological status and 67% reported unprotected sexual practices. Women had the highest rates of infection, including them in a high-risk group for the development of syphilis during pregnancy. Thus, implementing screening programs to enable continuous measures of control and prevention of T. pallidum infection in the prison environment, mainly in women institutions, is important to prevent severe forms of this disease and congenital infections.

Author Notes

Address correspondence to Simone Simionatto, Laboratório de Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. E-mail: simonesimionatto@ufgd.edu.br

Financial support: This work was partially supported by the Support Foundation for the Development of Education, Science and Technology in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul (FUNDECT grants 0068/13, 0233/2014 and 092/2015) the Ministry of Education (PROEXT 2013–2014) and Secretary of Health Surveillance (SVS/MS—20/2013). Maisa Estopa Correa received a scholarship from FUNDECT and Kesia Esther da Silva from CAPES.

Authors’ addresses: Maisa Estopa Correa, Ronaldo Omizolo de Souza, Júlio Henrique Ferreira de Sá Queiroz, and Kesia Esther da Silva, Laboratório de Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, E-mails: ysacorrea@gmail.com, ronaldo_omizolo@hotmail.com, juliohenriquefsq@hotmail.com, and kesia_esther@hotmail.com. Julio Croda, Laboratório de Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, E-mail: juliocroda@gmail.com. Ana Rita Coimbra Motta de Castro, Laboratório de Imunologia Clínica, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, E-mail: arcm.castro@hotmail.com. Sandra Maria do Valle Leone de Oliveira, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, E-mail: sandrinhaleone@gmail.com. Maurício Antonio Pompilio, Faculdade de Medicina (FAMED), Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, E-mail: mapompilio@yahoo.com.br. Albert L. Ko, Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Disease, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, and Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Brazil, E-mail: albert.ko@yale.edu. Simone Simionatto, Laboratório de Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and Cidade Universitária, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, E-mail: simonesimionatto@ufgd.edu.br.

Copyright:
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2017
Received:
09 Feb 2017
|
Accepted:
14 May 2017
|
Published Online:
31 Jul 2017
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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