The effectiveness of epidemiological control over syphilis in the Ural Federal District between 2020 and 2024

Background. The rising incidence of syphilis in the Russian Federation and the wide range of its clinical manifestations, including the development of visceral and psychoneurological pathologies, necessitate the implementation of expanded population-based screening for syphilis. Objective. To examine current clinical and epidemiological aspects and trends in syphilis incidence among the population of the Ural Federal District between 2020 and 2024. To determine the significance and effectiveness of a population-based screening for syphilis. Material and methods. The study analyzed data from Federal Statistical Reporting Forms №9 and 34 on the number of registered syphilis cases in the federal districts of the Russian Federation between 2020 and 2024. Additionally, we utilized statistical materials titled “Resources and Activities of Dermatovenereological Medical Organizations. Incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections, Contagious Skin Diseases, and Skin Diseases” for the 2020—2024 period. We also evaluated reports of public and private medical organizations of the Sverdlovsk region regarding the total number of serological tests performed in 2023, in accordance with Appendix №2 of the Order №2351-p of the Ministry of Health of the Sverdlovsk Region dated October 19, 2022 “On Screening Serological Examination of the Population of the Sverdlovsk Region for Syphilis “. Syphilis incidence rates, structural proportions, and median wages were calculated. Results. The medical, social, economic, and epidemiological effectiveness of the population-based screening program for syphilis was determined. The syphilis detection rate varied significantly across different population groups in the Sverdlovsk Region: contacts of patients with STIs (10.1%), foreign nationals and stateless citizens (8.3%), people undergoing pre-employment and periodic medical examinations (6.0%), spouses of pregnant women (5.9%), HIV-infected individuals (3.5%). Conclusion. The continuing rise in syphilis incidence and the clinical and epidemiological features of the infection necessitate the implementation of a standardized population screening algorithm. Using the Sverdlovsk Region as a model, this study demonstrated the long-term effectiveness of such screening.