![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
Background: Specifics of the epidemiology of STIs, syphilis particularly, are determined by the current socio-economic processes in Georgia (financing of the STDs prevention governmental program effective from 1997, urban-migration processes, low solvency of Georgian population, etc.) as well as general tendencies of STDs spread in Eastern Europe.
Objectives: To study epidemiology of syphilis in Georgia over the period of 2000-2008.
Methods: Analysis of 8-year data on syphilis provided by the National Center for Diseases Control and Public Health (NCDC).
Results: Morbidity rate of syphilis being 20.3 in 2000 picked to 31.2 in 2002. In the following years it has significantly decreased making 8.7 (2007) and 7.9 (2008). Interestingly, maximum morbidity rates coincide with the maximum financing of the Prevention Programs. Incidence among men is slightly higher than among women (55% of all registered patients); the most affected age group being 20-29 years. Over the recent 2 years, though, syphilis in men has “aged” shifting most affected age group to 30-39 years. Morbidity rates are higher among city, as opposed to countryside, population, majority of which is concentrated in the capital. Latent syphilis (80%) prevails among all cases of syphilis registered since 2000; neurosyphilis constitutes 1-1.5%. Frequency of primary forms of syphilis is showing tendency of steady decrease (except for the pick in 2001 and 2002), making in 2007 and 2008 as low as 7-8% of all cases.
Conclusions: Although by a number of indicators epidemiology of syphilis in Georgia shows tendencies characteristic to Eastern European countries, the dramatic decrease of the morbidity rates does not reflect reality – it only proves that the better the programs are financed the higher the number of registered cases.
Implications for Programs, Policy, and/or Research: Our research demonstrates necessity of implementation of an effective, sustainable and independent from financing of the prevention programs system of registration of STDs.