Syphilis as Re-Emerging Disease, Antibiotic Resistance, and Vulnerable Population: Global Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that has become a public health problem, especially in vulnerable populations. A systematic review and time-free meta-analysis of the publications on the molecular detection of syphilis and mutations associated with antibiotic resistance, CORE group, and syphilis genotypes in PubMed databases, Scielo, and Cochrane was performed, and the last search was conducted in June 2022. Proportions were calculated, and standard errors and confidence intervals were reported for all results of interest. We included 41 articles for quantitative extraction and data synthesis. An increase was observed in the proportion of subjects diagnosed with syphilis and the presence of the A2058G mutation during the 2018–2021 period compared to 2006 (70% 95%CI 50–87 vs. 58% 95%CI 12–78), and we observed that the greater the proportion of the population participating in men who have sex with men (MSM) (<50% and >50%) syphilis increased (78% 95%CI 65–90 vs. 33% 95%CI 19–49). In conclusion, we suggest that there are a set of characteristics that are contributing to the resurgence of syphilis and the selective pressure of bacteria. The MSM population could be a vulnerable factor for this scenario and the global presence of A2058G and A2059G mutations that confer resistance to macrolides.