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Table
Indicator name:
STI: Prevalence of active syphilis in 15-49 year olds
Short name:
Prevalence of active syphilis
Data type:
Percent
Indicator Id:
7029
Topic:
Mortality and burden of disease
Rationale:
Syphilis is a common curable sexually transmitted infection (STI). Estimates of prevalence and incidence of syphilis are important for monitoring syphilis treatment and prevention programmes and for advocating for funding for syphilis programming and for the development of new treatments and prevention tools.
Definition:
Prevalence of active syphilis in individuals 15 to 49 years of age. Numerator: Estimated number of individuals 15 to 49 years of age with active syphilis Denominator: Number of individual 15 to 49 years of age
Disaggregation:
Sex: male, female
Method of estimation:
National syphilis prevalence trend estimates in individuals 15 to 49 years of age were generated using Spectrum-STI. Prevalence data were standardized before trend fitting to ensure that they reflected active syphilis, defined as concurrent positivity on both a non-treponemal (e.g., Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) or Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test) and a treponemal test. For countries with insufficient data to generate estimates (less than 2 data points, or no data point from 2018 or later) estimates were based on data from other nearby countries. National estimates were summed to generate WHO regional and global estimates using UN population estimates of the number of women and men aged 15-49 years of age.
Expected frequency of data dissemination:
Every 2 to 3 years
Contact person email:
jrowley@who.int
Name:
Jane Rowley
IMRID:
7029
Links:
Global progress report on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, 2021
Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis and syphilis: global prevalence and incidence estimates, 2016
Implementing the global health sector strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, 2022–2030: report on progress and gaps 2024
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