ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the incidence of and risk factors for syphilis seroconversion amomg drug addicts during methadone maintenance treatment (MMT).Methods A retrospective study was performed on drug addicts receiving MMT at MMT clinics in Maanshan,who were seronegative for syphilis before the treatment and followed up by serological tests for syphilis for more than two years.The incidence of and risk factors for syphilis seroconversion during the two years of follow up were analyzed in all the subjects.Results A total of 161 drug addicts were included in this study,of whom,15 experienced seroconversion for syphilis with the average seroconversion rate being 4.66 per 100 person-years.The seroconversion tended to occurr in the early stage of MMT.Both Chi-square analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that syphilis seroconversion was independently associated with nonuse of condoms during the last sexual behavior before receiving MMT.Conclusions Interventions should be undertaken as early as possible to promote safe sexual behaviors among drug addicts at methadone clinics,and to promote condom use is especially important for blocking sexual transmission of diseases.