Routine optional syphilis testing in a Chicago hospital's emergency department resulted in a significant jump in diagnoses, according to an NIH-funded study of approximately 300,000 emergency department encounters. According to Emergency Department Screening More Than Doubles Detection of Syphilis Cases (9/10/24), reported in HIV.gov and presented at CROI 2024: "The number of people with presumed active syphilis infection based on the study testing algorithm increased from 161 to 624 post-intervention." The study also identified a significant increased in identification of syphilis among pregnant women.
HRSA Focus on Emergency Departments and HIV, HCV, Syphilis
The role of emergency departments in identifying HIV, HCV, and syphilis cases has been covered in recent years by various HRSA-funded projects, including TAP-in, the Technical Assistance Provider information network. See Innovations in the ER: Collaborations among Emergency Departments, TA Providers, & Health Jurisdictions to Identify and Treat HIV, HCV, and Syphilis and other presentations on the topic.
The Critical Role of the ED in EHE
Excerpt from Innovations in the ER (TAP-in Webinar, 8/10/21)