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Seminal studies into the clinical interaction between syphilis and HIV were done long enough ago that their findings may not apply to the present era of effective antiretroviral therapy. However, the global resurgence of syphilis means that a precise understanding of this interaction remains important.
Investigators reviewed the records of 264 patients who presented with syphilis at one of two Zurich hospitals between 1999 and 2008; 92% were male, and 42% were HIV positive. Among the 100 HIV-positive patients with known CD4 counts, only 3 had counts <200 cells/mm3; no viral-load measurements were specified. All patients were evaluated with a nonspecific screening test (the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory [VDRL] test), a specific trepone…