Comparison of syphilis seropositivity between non-immigrant and immigrant populations in the Anatolian side of Istanbul, Turkiye: Results of five-years retrospective study

Objective: Our study aimed to evaluate the seropositivity for syphilis in non- immigrant and immigrant populations and compare the results regarding demographic data.

Methods: In accordance with the reverse algorithm, syphilis tests were performed between May 2014 and December 2018 in hospitals in our service zone for syphilis screening or symptomatic disease.

Results: A total of 135.328 non- immigrant and 6.641 immigrant were screened for syphilis. Seropositivity rates were 1.3% in the non- immigrant and 3.8% in immigrant groups (p=0.0001). There was a statistically significant difference in terms of seropositivity rates between the various age groups in the local group and immigrant groups (except 18 25 age group) (p<0.05). Syphilis seropositivity rates were found to be lower in indigenous population than immigrant groups according to the years tested (p=0.0001). The seropositivity rates were 2.4% and 3.2% among the males (p=0.025) and 0.6% and 4.0% among females (p=0.0001) in non-immigrantand immigrant groups, respectively. Whereas, 0.6% of pregnant women in the local group and 3.7% of pregnant women in immigrant groups were seropositive for syphilis (p=0.0001). Among the HIV positive group, syphilis seropositivity was only observed in the non-immigrant group with a rate of 23.0% (p=0.0001).

Conclusion: The antibodies against syphilis were found more frequently in immigrants than non-immigrant. Among the HIV positive individuals syphilis seropositivity was only observed in the non-immigrant group.