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A massive government campaign virtually eliminated sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in China by the 1960s. Syphilis reappeared in 1979 and in recent years has spread rapidly in conjunction with changes in the nation’s cultural climate. To assess the characteristics of the current epidemic, researchers analyzed syphilis case-report data from China’s sentinel-site network (26 sites that provide enhanced surveillance but cover only 3% of the population) and national STI surveillance system.
The total incidence of syphilis per 100,000 people increased from 0.17 in 1993 to 6.5 in 1999. The incidence of congenital syphilis increased most rapidly, rising from 0.01 cases per 100,000 live births in 1991 to 19.68 in 2005. All 2882 counties in Ch…