Evaluation of test results of microbiology laboratories of North India for standard tests for syphilis under an external quality assurance scheme

摘要

In 1995, WHO estimated an average of 27 million people infected with syphilis worldwide. The vast majority of these cases were in developing countries, with South and Southeast Asia accounting for 48.7% of new infections (115.5 million cases). In India, syphilis has been found to be the common disease among sexually transmitted infections and has now been reported to have a consistent increase among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States and some European countries. The present epidemic of syphilis is causing a serious public health concern all over the world. New molecular tests for syphilis are unlikely to replace serology, as they are presently in the experimental stage, fairly expensive, and require sophisticated equipment.