Prevalence of syphilis and hepatitis B among homosexual men in two saunas in Amsterdam.

摘要

In a pilot study by field-screening in two different sauna baths, a day-sauna and a night-sauna, 318 homosexual men were investigated for syphilis and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and its antibody (anti-HBs). Of the 134 visitors to the day-sauna 35.1% were seroreactive for syphilis, four (3%) carried HBsAg, and 95 (70.9%) anti-HBs. Of the 184 visitors to the night-sauna 33.2% were seroreactive for syphilis, 16 (8.7%), carried HBsAg, and 97 (52.7%) anti-HBs. The correlation between seroreactivity for syphilis and the presence of HBsAg amd anti-HBs was statistically significant.