Syphilis Infection

SCREENING

Men and Women at Increased Risk

GRADE

Strongly Recommended

SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS

The USPSTF strongly recommends that clinicians screen persons at increased risk for syphilis infection.

FREQUENCY OF SERVICE

No Frequency of Service information currently available.

RISK FACTOR INFORMATION

Populations at increased risk for syphilis infection (as determined by incident rates) include men who have sex with men and engage in high-risk sexual behavior, commercial sex workers, persons who exchange sex for drugs, and those in adult correctional facilities. Clinicians should consider the characteristics of the communities they serve in determining appropriate screening strategies. Prevalence of syphilis infection varies widely among communities and patient populations. For example, the prevalence of syphilis infection differs by region (the prevalence of infection is higher in the southern U.S. and in some metropolitan areas than it is in the U.S. as a whole) and by ethnicity (the prevalence of syphilis infection is higher in Hispanic and African American populations than it is in the white population).