Serological and clinical studies of endemic treponematosis in the Republic of Mali

: In Mali, in the sahelian zone, the prevalence of non venereal endemic syphilis is currently equivalent to the prevalence that existed before the eradication campaigns of the years 1950-60. Because new control programmes of the disease had to be initiated, studies have been performed to measure the current impact of the mass campaigns with long acting penicillin, and to look for a simple method that could rapidly assess the impact of the control programmes. These studies underline that the control of endemic syphilis in these areas cannot rely solely upon the health care facilities, but that mobile strategies and mass campaigns will perhaps always be needed in the areas not covered by the health care facilities. The studies demonstrate also the interest of a technique such as the quantitative VDRL for the epidemiologic surveillance of endemic syphilis.