Rise in syphilis: Time to turn the tide

: Syphilis, a curable and preventable sexually transmitted infection (STI), remains a public health concern due to its diverse clinical manifestations and increasing prevalence globally. In India, syphilis has re-emerged, particularly among high-risk groups such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and people living with HIV (PLHIV). This study aims to analyze the current clinical and epidemiological trends of Syphilis. A prospective observational study was conducted from December 2022 to September 2024 at the STI clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Pune, Maharashtra. The study enrolled 78 confirmed syphilis cases, representing 4.7% of the 1660 STI cases diagnosed during the study period. Diagnosis was based on clinical history, physical examination, Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test with a titre of ≥1:8, and Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay (TPHA). Data on demographic characteristics, sexual behavior, and clinical staging were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Of the 78 syphilis cases, 61 (78.2%) were male, 15 (19.2%) female, and 2 (2.6%) transgender. The majority were young adults aged 21-30 years (55.15). Most patients were married (65.4%) and literate, with 42.3% being graduates. Polygamous relationships were reported by 67.5% of the patients, and 87.0% did not use condoms regularly. HIV co-infection was observed in 26 (33.33%) cases. VDRL titres ranged from 1:8 to 1:640, with symptomatic patients showing higher titres. Eleven (14.1%) pregnant women were diagnosed with latent syphilis during routine antenatal checkups The findings highlight the need for improved surveillance, especially in high-risk populations, and targeted interventions, including sex education, safe sex promotion, and rapid point-of-care testing. Strengthening antenatal syphilis screening and ensuring appropriate treatment can help control the resurgence of syphilis