Search

ABSTRACT Serological tests for syphilis require equipment unavailable in many health centers; however, point-of-care testing facilitates rapid screening using finger-prick whole blood samples. A further improvement could be oral fluid for ease of use. We evaluated the performance of treponemal antibody point-of-care testing for syphilis screening using oral fluid samples. We recruited users of STI clinics in Lima, Peru. We collected oral fluid using the OraSure collection device (OraSure Technologies Inc., USA) according to the manufacturer’s instructions and serum from each participant. Oral fluid and serum were analyzed using the SD Bioline Syphilis 3.0 rapid test (Standard Diagnostics Inc., Korea). Serum was also tested using RPR (RPR slide test, Wiener Laboratorios SAIC, Argentina) and TPPA (Serodia, Fujirebio Diagnostics Inc., Japan). We assessed oral fluid rapid test overall percent agreement, sensitivity, specificity, and Kappa coefficient against serum SD Bioline Syphilis, TPPA, and RPR. Among 323 participants, nearly half (51.3%) reported prior syphilis. The overall percent agreement, sensitivity, specificity, and Kappa coefficient of oral fluid were 71.0% (95% CI: 65.6%–75.8%), 78.1% (71.1%–83.7%), 63.5% (55.8%–70.6%), and 0.42% (0.32%–0.52%), respectively, versus serum SD Bioline Syphilis. A similar performance was obtained versus serum TPPA. When limiting the sample to TPPA-reactive with RPR titer ≥1:8, the sensitivity increased to 88.1% (75.0%–94.8%), whereas the specificity did not vary (65.3% [57.2%–72.6%]). We observed a good performance of the rapid treponemal test using oral fluid. Further investigations are needed to improve the specificity of oral fluid as a potential sample for accurate syphilis screening.IMPORTANCEPoint-of-care tests are essential for rapid and efficient screening of syphilis, especially in low-resource settings. Oral fluid specimens offer a noninvasive, accessible, and practical alternative to traditional blood samples. Our study evaluated the performance of a rapid treponemal test using oral fluid specimens. We found that the rapid treponemal test using oral fluid had good sensitivity compared with the rapid treponemal test using serum and the non-treponemal RPR test. This suggests that oral fluid could be a viable option for syphilis screening, facilitating broader and faster access to diagnosis and treatment. However, further studies are needed to improve the specificity of this method to ensure accurate screening in diverse clinical scenarios.

Abstract Background Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as syphilis and HIV remain to be a significant public health issue worldwide. Dual rapid point-of-care tests (POCTs) have shown promise for detecting antibodies to HIV and syphilis but have not been fully evaluated in the field. Our study supported the WHO ProSPeRo study on Sexually Transmitted Infection Point-of-Care Testing (STI POCT) by providing external quality assessment (EQA) for HIV and syphilis testing in reference laboratories and their associated clinical sites in seven countries. Methods HIV/syphilis serum liquid and dried tube specimen (DTS) panels were prepared by CDC. Liquid panels were distributed to the reference laboratories for three rounds of testing using commercially and locally available laboratory-based serological tests. DTS panels were sent to the clinical testing sites for 8 rounds of POC testing using the Abbott SD BIOLINE HIV/Syphilis Duo test (hereafter referred to as SD BIOLINE) and the Chembio Dual Path Platform (DPP) HIV-Syphilis assay. EQA panels were tested at CDC using the Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) test and the Treponema pallidum Particle Agglutination assay (TP-PA) for syphilis antibodies. Genetic Systems HIV-1/HIV-2 Plus O EIA, Geenius HIV Supplemental Assay and the Oraquick Advance HIV test were used to detect HIV antibodies in the EQA panels. Results from the reference laboratories and POCT sites were compared to those obtained at the CDC and a percentage agreement was calculated. Results Qualitative RPR and TP-PA performed at the reference laboratories demonstrated 95.4–100% agreement with CDC results while quantitative RPR and TP-PA tests demonstrated 87.7% and 89.2% agreement, respectively. A 93.8% concordance rate was observed for qualitative HIV testing in laboratories. EQA testing at clinical sites using dual tests showed 98.7% and 99.1% agreement for detection of HIV antibodies and eight out of 10 sites had > 95.8% agreement for syphilis testing. However, two clinical sites showed only 65.0–66.7% agreement for SD BIOLINE and 84.0–86.7% for DPP, respectively, for syphilis testing. Conclusions Overall, laboratories demonstrated high EQA performance in this study. Both HIV/syphilis POCTs gave expected results in the clinic-based evaluations using DTS. However, testing errors were identified in a few testing sites suggesting the necessity for continuous training and monitoring the quality of POC testing.

ABSTRACT Syphilis is a multistage chronic sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum (T. pallidum). Today, syphilis is still endemic in low- and middle-income nations and has become resurgent in many high-income countries. Infection can lead to severe sequelae in untreated patients, while vertical transmission of T. pallidum is associated with high stillbirth rates and neonatal death. The combination of non-treponemal and treponemal tests allows syphilis serodiagnosis and monitoring of treatment response, albeit not without limitations. In this work, we developed a minimal array for multiple parallel detection of antibodies specific to the immunodominant T. pallidum antigens Tp0435 and Tp0574 and 14 additional proteins known to be immunogenic during infection but only partially or not at all evaluated for their diagnostic potential. To assess whether reactivity to these antigens could improve early syphilis diagnosis, serve as biomarkers for disease staging, and monitor response to treatment, we tested the array using 217 serum specimens longitudinally collected pre- and post-treatment from 120 syphilis patients. Results showed significantly different reactivity to a subset of antigens in pre-treatment sera (baseline) when covariates such as syphilis stage, syphilis history, and HIV status were factored in. Furthermore, reactivity to several antigens significantly decreased in post-treatment sera compared to baseline. Although studies with larger sample panels will be needed to validate these findings, this study supports the screening of T. pallidum proteomic arrays to identify antigens that could serve as predictors of response and antigens that could help with early syphilis diagnosis. IMPORTANCE This manuscript explores the host humoral response to selected antigens of the syphilis agent during infection to evaluate their potential use as diagnostic tests and markers for treatment.

The prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) and MG antimicrobial resistance (AMR) appear to be high internationally, however, prevalence data remain lacking globally. We evaluated the prevalence of MG and MG AMR-associated mutations in men who have sex with men (MSM) in Malta and Peru and women at-risk for sexually transmitted infections in Guatemala, South Africa, and Morocco; five countries in four WHO regions mostly lacking MG prevalence and AMR data, and estimated MG coinfections with Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV). Male urine and anorectal samples, and vaginal samples were tested for MG, CT, NG, and TV (only vaginal samples) using Aptima assays (Hologic). AMR-associated mutations in the MG 23S rRNA gene and parC gene were identified using ResistancePlus MG kit (SpeeDx) or Sanger sequencing. In total, 1,425 MSM and 1,398 women at-risk were recruited. MG was detected in 14.7% of MSM (10.0% in Malta and 20.0% Peru) and in 19.1% of women at-risk (12.4% in Guatemala, 16.0% Morocco, 22.1% South Africa). The prevalence of 23S rRNA and parC mutations among MSM was 68.1 and 29.0% (Malta), and 65.9 and 5.6% (Peru), respectively. Among women at-risk, 23S rRNA and parC mutations were revealed in 4.8 and 0% (Guatemala), 11.6 and 6.7% (Morocco), and 2.4 and 3.7% (South Africa), respectively. CT was the most frequent single coinfection with MG (in 2.6% of MSM and 4.5% of women at-risk), compared to NG + MG found in 1.3 and 1.0%, respectively, and TV + MG detected in 2.8% of women at-risk. In conclusion, MG is prevalent worldwide and enhanced aetiological MG diagnosis, linked to clinical routine detection of 23S rRNA mutations, in symptomatic patients should be implemented, where feasible. Surveillance of MG AMR and treatment outcome would be exceedingly valuable, nationally and internationally. High levels of AMR in MSM support avoiding screening for and treatment of MG in asymptomatic MSM and general population. Ultimately, novel therapeutic antimicrobials and/or strategies, such as resistance-guided sequential therapy, and ideally an effective MG vaccine are essential.

Sequencing of most Treponema pallidum genomes excludes repeat regions in tp0470 and the tp0433 gene, encoding the acidic repeat protein (arp). As a first step to understanding the evolution and function of these genes and the proteins they encode, we developed a protocol to nanopore sequence tp0470 and arp genes from 212 clinical samples collected from ten countries on six continents. Both tp0470 and arp repeat structures recapitulate the whole genome phylogeny, with subclade-specific patterns emerging. The number of tp0470 repeats is on average appears to be higher in Nichols-like clade strains than in SS14-like clade strains. Consistent with previous studies, we found that 14-repeat arp sequences predominate across both major clades, but the combination and order of repeat type varies among subclades, with many arp sequence variants limited to a single subclade. Although strains that were closely related by whole genome sequencing frequently had the same arp repeat length, this was not always the case. Structural modeling of TP0470 suggested that the eight residue repeats form an extended α-helix, predicted to be periplasmic. Modeling of the ARP revealed a C-terminal sporulation-related repeat (SPOR) domain, predicted to bind denuded peptidoglycan, with repeat regions possibly incorporated into a highly charged β-sheet. Outside of the repeats, all TP0470 and ARP amino acid sequences were identical. Together, our data, along with functional considerations, suggests that both TP0470 and ARP proteins may be involved in T. pallidum cell envelope remodeling and homeostasis, with their highly plastic repeat regions playing as-yet-undetermined roles.

Abstract Background The syphilis epidemic continues to cause substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, despite several recent disease control initiatives. Though our understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease and the biology of the syphilis agent, Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum has improved over the last two decades, further research is necessary to improve clinical diagnosis and disease management protocols. Additionally, such research efforts could contribute to the identification of possible targets for the development of an effective vaccine to stem syphilis spread. Methods This study will recruit two cohorts of participants with active syphilis infection, one with de novo infection, one with repeat infection. Whole blood specimens will be collected from each study participant at baseline, 4, 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks, to track specific markers of their immunological response, as well as to compare humoral reactivity to Treponema pallidum antigens between the two groups. Additionally, we will use serum specimens to look for unique cytokine patterns in participants with early syphilis. Oral and blood samples, as well as samples from any syphilitic lesions present, will also be collected to sequence any Treponema pallidum DNA found. Discussion By furthering our understanding of syphilis pathogenesis and human host immune response to Treponema pallidum, we will provide important data that will help in development of new point-of-care tests that could better identify active infection, leading to improved syphilis diagnosis and management. Findings could also contribute to vaccine development efforts.

Abstract Background Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is an important contributor to total physical activity and the focus of many interventions promoting activity in high-income populations. Little is known about LTPA in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and with expected declines in physical activity due to rapid urbanisation and lifestyle changes we aimed to assess the sociodemographic differences in the prevalence of LTPA in the adult populations of this region to identify potential barriers for equitable participation. Methods A two-step individual participant data meta-analysis was conducted using data collected in SSA through 10 population health surveys that included the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. For each sociodemographic characteristic, the pooled adjusted prevalence and risk ratios (RRs) for participation in LTPA were calculated using the random effects method. Between-study heterogeneity was explored through meta-regression analyses and tests for interaction. Results Across the 10 populations (N = 26,022), 18.9% (95%CI: 14.3, 24.1; I 2 = 99.0%) of adults (≥ 18 years) participated in LTPA. Men were more likely to participate in LTPA compared with women (RR for women: 0.43; 95%CI: 0.32, 0.60; P

ABSTRACT Because syphilis is a public health concern, new strategies and tools for detecting active syphilis cases should be evaluated for future implementation. We assessed the laboratory performance of the DPP Syphilis Screen & Confirm rapid immunodiagnostic test (Chembio Diagnostics, Medford, NY, USA), using visual reading and the manufacturer’s electronic test microreader, for detection of treponemal and nontreponemal antibodies in 383 fully characterized stored serum specimens. We used the Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) test and rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test as reference tests for the DPP Syphilis Screen & Confirm assay treponemal and nontreponemal components, respectively. The sensitivity values for treponemal antibody detection by electronic reader and visual interpretation were 83.2% and 85.9%, respectively, with 100% specificity. For nontreponemal antibody detection, the sensitivity values were 65.7% and 69.0% and the specificity values were 88.7% and 89.4% for electronic reader and visual interpretation, respectively. There was excellent correlation between visual interpretation and the microreader for either component (kappa coefficient, 0.953). When restricting the analysis to RPR titers of ≥1:8, the sensitivity was 96.9% for either reading method; numerical microreader values showed good correlation with RPR titers (Spearman rho of 0.77). The DPP Syphilis Screen & Confirm assay showed good performance, compared to reference syphilis tests, using serum. Field evaluation studies should be done to validate its use for detection of active cases and for monitoring of treated syphilis patients. IMPORTANCE Syphilis remains a public health problem; therefore, health systems must incorporate screening tools that allow a rapid and accurate diagnosis to provide adequate treatment. The DPP Syphilis Screen & Confirm Assay simultaneously detects treponemal and nontreponemal antibodies, emerging as an alternative for identifying cases in situations in which there is no infrastructure to perform conventional syphilis testing, but it is necessary to generate evidence regarding the performance of this technology in various scenarios. We found that the test performs well, compared to TPPA and RPR tests, using stored samples from participants at high risk of acquiring syphilis. Additionally, when the Chembio microreader was incorporated, similar results are obtained by the device, compared to those reported by trained laboratory professionals, and correlated with the semiquantitative results of the RPR test. We think that the use of the DPP Syphilis Screen & Confirm Assay with the microreader might help in detecting active syphilis cases and perhaps in monitoring treatment responses in the field.

Background As screening programs in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) often do not have the resources to screen the entire population, there is frequently a need to target such efforts to easily identifiable priority groups. This study aimed to determine (1) how hypertension prevalence in LMICs varies by age, sex, body mass index, and smoking status, and (2) the ability of different combinations of these variables to accurately predict hypertension. Methods and Results We analyzed individual‐level, nationally representative data from 1 170 629 participants in 56 LMICs, of whom 220 636 (18.8%) had hypertension. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg, or reporting to be taking blood pressure–lowering medication. The shape of the positive association of hypertension with age and body mass index varied across world regions. We used logistic regression and random forest models to compute the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in each country for different combinations of age, body mass index, sex, and smoking status. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the model with all 4 predictors ranged from 0.64 to 0.85 between countries, with a country‐level mean of 0.76 across LMICs globally. The mean absolute increase in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve from the model including only age to the model including all 4 predictors was 0.05. Conclusions Adding body mass index, sex, and smoking status to age led to only a minor increase in the ability to distinguish between adults with and without hypertension compared with using age alone. Hypertension screening programs in LMICs could use age as the primary variable to target their efforts.

Abstract Introduction Adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables has protective benefits against development of coronary heart disease, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, approximately 2.7 million deaths annually can be attributed to inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption. We analyzed data from a countrywide survey in Uganda, to estimate the prevalence of adequate fruit and/ or vegetable consumption, and identify associated factors. Methods Data were collected using the World Health Organization STEPwise approach to surveillance, a standard approach to surveillance of risk factors for Non Communicable Diseases. Fruit and vegetable consumption was assessed by asking participants the number of days in a typical week they eat fruits or vegetables and the number of servings eaten in one of those days. Adequate fruit and/ or vegetable consumption was defined as consuming 5 or more servings of fruits and/ or vegetables per day in a typical week. We used modified Poisson regression analysis to estimate prevalence risk ratios (PRRs) and identify factors associated with eating 5 or more servings of fruits and/ or vegetables per day, per week. Results Of 3962 participants, 484 (12.2%) consumed 5 or more servings of fruits and/ or vegetables per day in a typical week. Participants who were married or cohabiting were more likely to consume at least 5 servings of fruits and/ or vegetables per day in a typical week compared with those who had never been married PRR = 1.51 [95% CI 1.07–2.14]. Compared with participants from Western region, those from Central region were more likely to consume 5 or more servings of fruits and/ or vegetables per day in a typical week, PRR = 3.54 [95% CI 2.46–5.10] as were those from Northern, PRR = 2.90 [95% CI 2.00–4.23] and Eastern regions PRR = 1.60 [95% CI 1.04–2.47]. Conclusions Fruit and vegetable consumption in Uganda is low and does not differ significantly across social and demographic characteristics, except marital status and geographical region of residence. There is a need to develop and strengthen policies that promote adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables in the Ugandan population.

Abstract Background Men who have sex with men (MSM) and male-to-female transgender women (transwomen) are disproportionately at risk of syphilis infection in Peru. Methods From 2013 to 2014, MSM and transwomen seeking human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and/or treatment were recruited into a 2-year observational cohort study to determine predictors of recently acquired syphilis infection (defined as a rapid plasma reagin [RPR] titer ≥1:16 and a reactive treponemal antibody test) in Lima, Peru. At baseline, interviewers collected sociodemographic, behavioral, and medical characteristics from participants. All cohort participants were tested for syphilis, HIV, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infection. Using cross-sectional analyses, bivariate and multivariate models were used to determine factors associated with recently acquired syphilis infection and calculate adjusted prevalence ratios. Results We recruited 401 participants, 312 MSM and 89 transwomen, with median ages of 29.0 and 32.5 years old (interquartile ranges: 23.3, 37.4 and 27.2, 39.5, respectively). The prevalence of recently acquired syphilis infection at baseline was 16.8% for MSM and 6.7% for transwomen. Among MSM and transwomen, 30.1 and 33.7% were infected with HIV, 18.6 and 24.7% were infected with CT, and 14.2 and 19.1% were infected with NG, respectively. Co-infection rates among MSM with recently acquired syphilis infection included: 44.2% with HIV, 40.4% with CT (32.7% with anal CT and 7.7% with pharyngeal CT), and 19.2% with NG (11.5% with anal NG and 7.7% with pharyngeal NG). Co-infection rates among transwomen with recently acquired syphilis infection included: 66.7% with HIV, 0% with CT, and 16.7% with anal NG. In multivariate analysis among the entire cohort, recently acquired syphilis infection was independently associated with younger age (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.93–0.99), receptive role during anal sex (aPR = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.05–6.25), prior HIV diagnosis (aPR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.11–2.61), anal CT or NG infection (aPR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.09–2.60), and prior syphilis diagnosis (aPR = 3.53, 95% CI = 2.20–5.68). Conclusions We recruited a cohort of MSM and transwomen who had a high prevalence of recently acquired syphilis infection in Lima, Peru. Recently acquired syphilis infection was associated with socio-demographic characteristics, sexual risk, and sexually transmitted co-infections.

Background: There are limited data on levels of alcohol use in most sub-Saharan African countries. Objective: We analyzed data from Uganda's non-communicable diseases risk factor survey conducted in 2014, to identify alcohol use prevalence and associated factors. Design: The survey used the World Health Organization STEPS tool to collect data, including the history of alcohol use. Alcohol users were categorized into low-, medium-, and high-end users. Participants were also classified as having an alcohol-use-related disorder if, over the past 12 months, they were unable to stop drinking alcohol once they had started drinking, and/or failed to do what was normally expected of them because of drinking alcohol, and/or needed an alcoholic drink first in the morning to get going after a heavy drinking session the night before. Weighted logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with medium- to high-end alcohol use. Results: Of the 3,956 participants, 1,062 (26.8%) were current alcohol users, including 314 (7.9%) low-end, 246 (6.2%) medium-end, and 502 (12.7%) high-end users. A total of 386 (9.8%) were classified as having an alcohol-use-related disorder. Male participants were more likely to be medium- to high-end alcohol users compared to females; adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=2.34 [95% confidence interval (CI)=1.88–2.91]. Compared to residents in eastern Uganda, participants in central and western Uganda were more likely to be medium- to high-end users; AOR=1.47 (95% CI=1.01–2.12) and AOR=1.89 (95% CI=1.31–2.72), respectively. Participants aged 30–49 years and those aged 50–69 years were more likely to be medium- to high-end alcohol users, compared to those aged 18–29 years, AOR=1.49 (95% CI=1.16–1.91) and AOR=2.08 (95% CI=1.52–2.84), respectively. Conclusions: The level of alcohol use among adults in Uganda is high, and 9.8% of the adult population has an alcohol-use-related disorder.

Introduction Tobacco use and the exposure to tobacco smoke is one of the most preventable causes of death and disability globally. The risk is even higher among daily tobacco users. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that surveillance of major risk factors for Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as tobacco use is imperative to predict the future burden of NCDs, identify interventions to reduce future burden and monitor emerging patterns and trends. In 2014 the first Uganda nation-wide NCD risk factor survey was carried out to estimate the prevalence of major NCD risk factors. We analyzed data from this survey to estimate the prevalence of daily tobacco use and associated risk factors. Material and Methods A nationally representative sample was drawn stratified by the four regions of the country. The WHO’s STEPwise tool was used to collect data on demographic and behavioral characteristics including tobacco use, physical and biochemical measurements. Tobacco use was divided into three categories; daily tobacco use, daily smoked tobacco use and daily smokeless tobacco use. Weighted logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with daily tobacco use. Results Of the 3983 participants, 9.2 % (366) were daily tobacco users, 7.4 % (294) were daily smoked tobacco users and 2.9 % (115) were daily smokeless tobacco users. Male participants were more likely to be daily tobacco users compared with female participants AOR 5.51 [3.81–7.95]. Compared with participants aged 18–29 years, those aged 30–49 years were more likely to be daily tobacco users AOR 2.47 [1.54–3.94] as were those aged 50–69 years AOR 2.82 [1.68–4.74]. Compared with participants without any education, those with primary education were less likely to be daily tobacco users AOR 0.43 [0.29–0.65], as were those with secondary education AOR 0.21 [0.14–0.33] and those with university level of education AOR 0.23 [0.11–0.48]. Compared with participants in the central region, those in the eastern region were more likely to be daily tobacco users AOR 2.14 [1.33–3.45] as were those in the northern region AOR 4.31 [2.79–6.45] and those in the western region AOR 1.87 [1.18–2.97]. Participants who were underweight were more likely to be daily tobacco users compared with people with normal BMI AOR 2.19 [1.48–3.24]. Conclusions In agreement with previous surveys on tobacco use, there is a high prevalence of tobacco use in Uganda with almost 1 in every 10 Ugandans using tobacco products daily. Being older, male, having no formal education, residing in the east, north and western regions and having low BMI were significantly associated with daily tobacco use. This information provides a useful benchmark to the National Tobacco Control Program for the designing of public health interventions for the control and prevention of tobacco use in Uganda.

BackgroundThe syphilis epidemic continues to cause substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, despite several recent disease control initiatives. Though our understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease and the biology of the syphilis agent, Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum has improved over the last two decades, further research is necessary to improve clinical diagnosis and disease management protocols. Additionally, such research efforts could contribute to the identification of possible targets for the development of an effective vaccine to stem syphilis spread.MethodsThis study will recruit two cohorts of participants with active syphilis infection, one with de novo infection, one with repeat infection. Whole blood specimens will be collected from each study participant at baseline, 4, 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks, to track specific markers of their immunological response, as well as to compare humoral reactivity to Treponema pallidum antigens between the two groups. Additionally, we will use serum specimens to look for unique cytokine patterns in participants with early syphilis. Oral and blood samples, as well as samples from any syphilitic lesions present, will also be collected to sequence any Treponema pallidum DNA found.DiscussionBy furthering our understanding of syphilis pathogenesis and human host immune response to Treponema pallidum, we will provide important data that will help in development of new point-of-care tests that could better identify active infection, leading to improved syphilis diagnosis and management. Findings could also contribute to vaccine development efforts.

Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are among the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infections in the world. Data are limited, however, on the burden of extra-genital chlamydial and gonococcal infections among men who have sex with men and transgender women in Lima, Peru. Data were gathered from self-collected anal or pharyngeal swabs from participants in Lima, Peru, and analyzed via cross-sectional methods. Prevalence ratios for the association between extra-genital infection with socio-demographic and sexual behaviors were determined. Overall, 127 (32.8%) participants had anal or pharyngeal infections. On multivariate modeling, anal infection was positively associated with practicing both receptive and insertive anal sex, when compared to insertive alone (PR = 2.49; 95% CI = 1.32-4.71), and negatively associated with any antibiotic use in the prior three months (PR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.39-0.91). Pharyngeal infection was negatively associated with age greater than 30 years compared to 18-30 years (PR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.30-0.96), and positively associated with gender identity of transgender women (PR = 2.12; 95% CI = 1.20-3.73). This study demonstrates considerable burden of extra-genital chlamydial and gonococcal infections among men who have sex with men and transgender women in Lima, Peru.

ObjectivesScreening for HIV and syphilis in key populations is recommended by the WHO to reduce the morbidity, mortality and transmission associated with undiagnosed and untreated infections. Rapid point-of-care tests that can detect multiple infections with a single fingerprick whole blood specimen using a single device are gaining popularity. We evaluated the field performance of a rapid dual HIV and syphilis test in people at high risk of HIV and syphilis infections.MethodsParticipants included men who have sex with men and transgender women recruited in Lima, Peru. Reference standard testing for detection of HIV and syphilis infections, conducted using blood samples from venipuncture, included Treponema pallidum particle agglutination and fourth-generation HIV enzyme immunoassay for which positive results had a confirmation HIV Western blot test. For the evaluation test, SD BIOLINE HIV/Syphilis Duo test (Standard Diagnostics, Korea), a fingerprick blood specimen was used. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated and the exact binomial method was used to determine 95% CIs.ResultsA total of 415 participants were recruited for the study. The dual test sensitivity for detection of T. pallidum infection was 89.2% (95% CI 83.5% to 93.5%) and specificity 98.8% (95% CI 96.5% to 99.8%). For detection of HIV infection, the sensitivity of the dual test was 99.1% (95% CI 94.8% to 100%) and specificity 99.4% (95% CI 97.7% to 99.9%).ConclusionsThis high performing dual test should be considered for the use in clinical settings to increase uptake of simultaneous testing of HIV and syphilis and accelerate time to treatment for those who need it.

Background: Health professionals assign diabetes patients "homework" in that they give them instructions on how to manage diabetes, recognizing that most diabetes care takes place in the home setting. We studied how homework is practiced and whether knowledge and behavioral practices related to diabetes self-management diffuse from patients to their housemates. Method: This mixed-methods study combined quantitative data from a household survey including 90 rural Ugandan households (50% had a member with type 2 diabetes [T2D]) with qualitative data from health facilities and interviews with 10 patients with T2D. Focus for data collection was knowledge and practices related to diabetes homework. A generalized mixed model was used to analyze quantitative data, while content analysis was used for qualitative data analysis. Results: Patients with T2D generally understood the diabetes homework assignments given by health professionals and carried out their homework with support from housemates. Although adherence to recommended diet was variable, housemates were likely to eat a healthier diet than if no patient with T2D lived in the household. Knowledge related to diabetes homework diffused from the patients to housemates and beyond to neighbors and family living elsewhere. Knowledge about primary prevention of T2D was almost absent among health staff, patients, and relatives. Conclusions: Homework practices related to T2D improve diabetes-related knowledge and may facilitate healthy eating in nondiabetic housemates. These findings suggest that having a chronic disease in the household provides an opportunity to improve health in the entire household and address the lack of knowledge about prevention of T2D.

Background Syphilis diagnosis relies on immunologic markers and clinical protocols. However, syphilitic lesions can be confused with other genital ulcer diseases. Methods Using a PlexPCR VHS assay, we analyzed lesion DNA samples from 87 individuals who were clinically diagnosed with early syphilis infection and had at least 1 positive serologic test result. DNA was detected by the PlexPCR VHS multiplex assay and β-globin genes. Results Among the participants, 99% (86/87) had a positive rapid treponemal test result. DNA was successfully detected in 91% (79/87) of the lesion samples. PlexPCR VHS identified 5 herpes simplex virus (HSV)/ Treponema pallidum coinfections (2 HSV-1 and 3 HSV-2), only T pallidum DNA in 62% (49/79), and only HSV-2 in 12.7% (10/79). While 19% (15/79) were negative for all pathogens, none were varicella zoster virus positive. The PlexPCR VHS had 68.4% agreement with the clinical diagnosis. Conclusions Since the PlexPCR VHS detects multiple organisms simultaneously, it can help to confirm actual syphilis and identify other pathogen coinfections or the pathogen causing the ulcer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]