Outbreak of primary and secondary syphilis--Guilford County, North Carolina, 1996-1997

Abstract

In 1996 and 1997, 153 cases of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis were reported each year in Guilford County, North Carolina, a 147% increase from the 62 cases reported in 1994 (Figure 1). The incidence of P&S syphilis in Guilford County during 1996-1997 was 40.5 cases per 100,000 persons, substantially higher than the national health objective for 2000 of four cases per 100,000 (objective 19.3). In comparison, the number of P&S syphilis cases in North Carolina declined 57% from 1994 to 1997 (Figure 1), to a rate of 10.9 per 100,000 in 1997. This report summarizes the results of an investigation conducted by the Guilford County Health Department (GCHD), the North Carolina Division of Epidemiology, and CDC, which suggest this ongoing outbreak has been associated with missed opportunities for syphilis screening and treatment in high-risk settings, increased exchange of sex for money or drugs, and substantial rates of coinfection with syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among those tested.