Syphilis in Greenland, 2015 to 2019.
Journal
Sexually transmitted diseases
ISSN: 1537-4521
Titre abrégé: Sex Transm Dis
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 7705941
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 03 2022
01 03 2022
Historique:
pubmed:
22
10
2021
medline:
18
3
2022
entrez:
21
10
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
An increase in the incidence of syphilis was reported in Greenland from 2011 to 2014, and notification rates kept rising in the following years in spite of focused efforts. To better understand the syphilis epidemic, this study was conducted to describe the syphilis epidemic in Greenland from 2015 to 2019. Syphilis cases and their characteristics were identified through reviews of electronic medical records and laboratory results in 3 different data sets: notifications to the National Board of Health, electronic prescriptions for benzathine penicillin, and the national laboratory database. Annual incidences were calculated stratified by sex, age, and region. The incidence of syphilis in Greenland increased from 107.4 to 246.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants from 2015 to 2019. The incidence increased in both sexes and in nearly all regions, although with large regional differences. Especially the age group 15 to 29 years showed a substantial increase in incidence in 2018 and 2019. More females than males were infected (245 female cases vs. 178 male cases). The burden of syphilis in Greenland is high, primarily among the age group 15 to 29 years. A higher incidence among females than among males was found, suggesting mainly heterosexual transmission, as seen for other sexually transmitted infections in Greenland.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
An increase in the incidence of syphilis was reported in Greenland from 2011 to 2014, and notification rates kept rising in the following years in spite of focused efforts. To better understand the syphilis epidemic, this study was conducted to describe the syphilis epidemic in Greenland from 2015 to 2019.
METHODS
Syphilis cases and their characteristics were identified through reviews of electronic medical records and laboratory results in 3 different data sets: notifications to the National Board of Health, electronic prescriptions for benzathine penicillin, and the national laboratory database. Annual incidences were calculated stratified by sex, age, and region.
RESULTS
The incidence of syphilis in Greenland increased from 107.4 to 246.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants from 2015 to 2019. The incidence increased in both sexes and in nearly all regions, although with large regional differences. Especially the age group 15 to 29 years showed a substantial increase in incidence in 2018 and 2019. More females than males were infected (245 female cases vs. 178 male cases).
CONCLUSIONS
The burden of syphilis in Greenland is high, primarily among the age group 15 to 29 years. A higher incidence among females than among males was found, suggesting mainly heterosexual transmission, as seen for other sexually transmitted infections in Greenland.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34670942
doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001571
pii: 00007435-202203000-00003
pmc: PMC8820764
doi:
Substances chimiques
Penicillin G Benzathine
RIT82F58GK
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
190-196Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Conflict of Interest and Sources of Funding: No potential conflict of interest relevant for this study is reported by the authors.
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