Syphilis testing in association with gonorrhea/chlamydia testing during a syphilis outbreak

Am J Public Health. 2004 Jul;94(7):1124-6. doi: 10.2105/ajph.94.7.1124.

Abstract

We used an electronic medical records system retrospectively to evaluate how frequently, in a public hospital and its clinics, combined gonorrhea/chlamydia tests were accompanied by a syphilis test before and during a syphilis outbreak. Among 70,330 gonorrhea/chlamydia tests (1996-2000), the proportion with a syphilis test increased from 13% (preoutbreak) to 50% (intervention period) for men and from 6% to 13% for nonpregnant women. The increased syphilis testing coincided with a multifaceted public health intervention.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chlamydia Infections / diagnosis*
  • Chlamydia Infections / epidemiology
  • Comorbidity
  • Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control
  • Disease Outbreaks / statistics & numerical data*
  • Emergency Service, Hospital / organization & administration
  • Female
  • Gonorrhea / diagnosis*
  • Gonorrhea / epidemiology
  • Hospitals, Public
  • Humans
  • Indiana / epidemiology
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / statistics & numerical data*
  • Population Surveillance
  • Public Health Practice / statistics & numerical data
  • Residence Characteristics / statistics & numerical data
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Syphilis / diagnosis*
  • Syphilis / epidemiology
  • Syphilis / prevention & control
  • Syphilis Serodiagnosis / statistics & numerical data*