Correlation between syphilis incidence and awareness of HIV status among the HIV+ individuals with high-risk sexual behavior in the post-HAART eras

Background: Although reference from meta-analysis had showed that HIV+ people who knew their HIV status would reduce their risky sexual behavior in USA. Moreover, data from these selected papers were all collected in the pre-HAART period. However, in the post-HAART period, studies indicated an increasing tendency of risky sexual behavior among the HIV+. It is the purpose of the study to describe the syphilis incidence between HIV+ persons are aware and unaware their HIV status among HIV+ with highly risk sexual behavior group in Taiwan for evaluating the effectiveness of HIV testing in post-HAART period. Methods: The cohort collected 129 HIV+ subjects who ever attended “home party” (means people used drug and have sex) between 2004 and 2009. We got their blood for HIV and syphilis test on the date of home party and linked the HIV/AIDS reporting system to separate two groups. Associations of syphilis incidence and the aware of HIV status were calculated using logistic regression. Results: A total of 39 syphilis cases were reported. The syphilis positive rate was 30.23%. Multivariate logistic regression showed s the syphilis positive rate among those who aware HIV positive was lower than those who didn't aware (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.085-0.73; P=0.01), but the syphilis positive rate increased over time accounted the distance from party to HIV diagnosis date (OR, 1.205; 95% CI, 1.013-1.433; P=0.0354). Conclusion: Our results supported HIV counseling and testing as important strategy to reduce exposure of HIV from persons who are unaware that they are infected.