Seroprevalence of syphilis in asymptomatic adults seeking employment abroad

Objective: To evaluate the seroprevalnce of syphilis in adults seeking employment in Middle East Countries. Methods: A rapid plasma reagain (RPR) test was performed on adult’s under-going a physical examination as a part of their assessment as pre-employment screening for jobs in the Middle East at Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan over a four-year period. Results: A total of 47,538 adults underwent an RPR test. Out of these, 94% were males. Three hundred nineteen individuals (0.67%) were found to have a positive RPR test. Conclusion: The sero-positivity for syphilis with RPR in this cohort is low. Therefore, routine screening of apparently healthy adults for syphilis should be directed to high-risk groups. (Rawal Med J 2004;29:65-67)