[Prevalence of HIV-syphilis coinfection in a university hospital in the city of Rio de Janeiro in 2005]

This was a study on the prevalence of HIV-syphilis coinfection among 830 HIV/AIDS patients who were being followed up as outpatients at a hospital in Rio de Janeiro between January and May 2005. The participants underwent laboratory tests at the venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) consisting of CD4+/CD8+ cell counts and viral load tests. They answered questions about their sociodemographic characteristics and past medical history of syphilis. The prevalence of syphilis was 2.7% (22 patients) and the ratio between men and women with coinfection was approximately 4:1. Homosexual men were the category most affected. We did not find any association between coinfection and age, schooling and the laboratory parameters tested. Out of the total number of patients with syphilis, 73% (16) reported previous treatment; of these, 14 (88%) were reinfected, while two (12%) underwent inappropriate treatment. The presence of HIV-syphilis coinfection among patients undergoing routine follow-up signals the need to advise them to adopt safe sex practices, during their outpatient visits.