HOMOSEXUALS, TEENS CREATE SYPHILIS RESURGENCE IN ITALY

Friday March 21, 2003

HOMOSEXUALS, TEENS CREATE SYPHILIS RESURGENCE IN ITALY

Teens and HIV-positive "gay men" are chief carriers; similar trend in other countries

ROME, March 21, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A dramatic resurgence of syphilis in Italy, according to the Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases meeting this weekend in Rome, can be explained largely by an increase among teenagers and HIV-infected homosexuals. Experts say syphilis has increased nationwide by 92% from 2000 to 2001 and 44% from 2001 and 2002.

After declining steadily from 1991 to 2000, cases of syphilis doubled in the past two years. Dr. Aldo Di Carlo, says, "Data from 2001 shows that 91% of HIV infected gay men [sic] already knew about their HIV status when they contracted syphilis. Moreover, 75% of them were already being treated with antiretroviral therapy before the STD diagnosis," Di Carlo said.

The Italian figures follow similar increases in Germany, the United States and Britain, all of which had also previously seen rates declining.

For newswire coverage:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=571&ncid=751&e=7&u=/nm/20030321/hl_nm/syphllis_italy_dc

URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/mar/03032104.html

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