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Table 1 Selected characteristics of sexually infected cases with early syphilis reported to the Norwegian surveillance system for communicable diseases, absolute numbers, (N = 558), 1992-2008.

From: Syphilis epidemiology in Norway, 1992-2008: resurgence among men who have sex with men

Characteristic

 

Selected categories

Sex

P1*

P2*

   

Women

n = 56 (%)

Men

  
    

Heterosexual transmission

n = 152 (%)

Homosexual transmission

n = 350 (%)

  

Age

 

Median age in years

26

37

37

/

/

  

15-24 years

22 (39.3)

8 (5.3)

33 (9.4)

0.222

< 0.001

  

25-34 years

16 (28.6)

56 (36.8)

103 (29.4)

  
  

35-44 years

13 (23.2)

47 (30.9)

119 (34.0)

  
  

≥ 45 years

5 (8.9)

41 (27.0)

95 (27.1)

  

Residence

 

Oslo municipality

16 (28.6)

55 (36.2)

266 (76.0)

< 0.001

0.304

  

Other

40 (71.4)

97 (63.8)

84 (24.0)

  

Birthplace

 

Norway

32 (57.1)

97 (63.8)

290 (82.8)

< 0.001

0.773

  

Europe, other

8 (14.3)

20 (12.7)

28 (8.0)

  
  

Asia

11 (19.6)

24 (15.8)

12 (3.4)

  
  

Africa

3 (5.3)

9 (5.9)

6 (1.7)

  
  

Other

2 (3.6)

2 (1.3)

14 (4.0)

  

Reason for being in Norway

 

Temporary visit

0

2 (1.3)

9 (2.6)

0.546

0.644

  

First generation immigrant/adopted

5 (8.9)

16 (10.5)

30 (8.6)

  
  

Other, including permanent residents

51 (91.1)

134 (88.1)

311 (88.9)

  

Indications for testing

 

Symptoms

15 (26.8)

121 (79.6)

248 (70.8)

< 0.001

< 0.001**

  

Contact tracing

17 (30.3)

12 (7.9)

29 (8.3)

  
  

Own request

1 (1.8)

5 (3.3)

25 (7.1)

  
  

Routine testing of an immigrant

6 (10.7)

6 (3.9)

0

  
  

Pregnancy

13 (23.2)

/

/

  
  

No specific reason/other

4 (7.1)

8 (5.3)

48 (13.7)

  

Median duration of symptoms in days***

(interquartile range)

  

23

(19-47)

22

(10-56)

22

(9-44)

/

/

Stage of early syphilis

 

Primary

18 (32.1)

84 (55.3)

125 (35.7)

< 0.001

< 0.001

  

Secondary

12 (21.4)

43 (28.3)

149 (42.6)

  
  

Early latent

26 (46.4)

25 (16.4)

76 (21.7)

  

Other reported STI****

 

none

52 (92.8)

140 (92.1)

239 (68.3)

< 0.001

0.959

  

HIV

1 (1.8)

2 (1.3)

85 (24.3)

  
  

Chlamydia

1 (1.8)

4 (2.6)

16 (4.6)

  
  

gonorrhoea

0

0

3 (0.9)

  
  

herpes

0

2 (1.3)

3 (0.9)

  
  

hepatitis B

1 (1.8)

2 (1.3)

3 (0.9)

  
  

other

1 (1.8)

2 (1.3)

1 (0.3)

  

Source partner

 

Steady partner

32 (57.1)

20 (13.1)

56 (16.0)

< 0.001

< 0.001

  

Casual partner

11 (19.6)

78 (51.3)

254 (72.6)

  
  

Commercial sex worker

0

31 (20.4)

0

  
  

Other/Unknown

13 (23.2)

23 (15.1)

40 (11.4)

  

Place of infection

Abroad

Total abroad

23 (41.1)

111 (73.0)

69 (19.7)

  
  

Europe, other

8 (14.3)

43 (28.3)

57 (16.3)

< 0.001*****

0.001*****

  

   - In Russia

3 (5.4)

20 (13.1)

1 (0.3)

  
  

Asia

9 (16.1)

34 (22.4)

4 (1.1)

  
  

Africa

3 (5.4)

11 (7.2)

2 (0.6)

  
  

South/Mid America

2 (3.6)

18 (11.8)

4 (1.1)

  
  

Other

1 (1.8)

5 (3.3)

2 (0.6)

  
 

Norway

Total Norway

31 (55.4)

33 (21.7)

270 (77.1)

  
  

   - In Oslo

7 (12.5)

17 (11.2)

244 (69.7)

  
 

Unknown

 

2 (3.6)

8 (5.3)

11 (3.1)

  

Diagnosed by

 

General practitioner, private specialist

32 (57.1)

71 (46.7)

85 (24.3)

< 0.001

0.440

  

Hospital

7 (12.5)

18 (11.8)

55 (15.7)

  
  

Youth/STI clinic

15 (26.8)

59 (38.8)

210 (60.0)

  
  

Other

2 (3.6)

4 (2.6)

0

  
  1. *P-values for heterogeneity, using Pearson's chi squared test; P1 comparing homosexually and heterosexually infected men, P2 comparing women and heterosexually infected men
  2. **Women diagnosed during pregnancy were excluded for comparison
  3. *** Data available for 19 women, 109 men, infected heterosexually, and 199 men, infected homosexually
  4. **** Only one co-infection can be recorded into the system: if reported, HIV is always recorded
  5. ***** Seven categories were compared, including: Norway, Europe-other, Asia, Africa, South/Mid America, other (abroad), and unknown