Syphilis epidemic characteristics in 2004-2012 in Lanxi City

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and epidemic trend of syphilis in Lanxi City, Zhejiang province. Methods By means of statistical software SPSS 16.0, descriptive statistical analysis was done on syphilis epidemic in Lanxi from 2004 to 2012. Results The average annual incidence of syphilis was 38.16/10⁵ cases in Lanxi from 2004 to 2012,of which 41.78/10⁵ were males and 36.81/10⁵ females. In this city, the incidence of syphilis increased from 10.99/10⁵ in 2004 to 35.44/10⁵ in 2012, which was a rapid upward trend. The age of onset was mainly concentrated in 20 to 39(42.80%) years of age, accounting for 42.80% of the total. Of the paients, the highest incidence was found in the 30-39 years old group of males (56.04/10⁵) and that of females was in the 20-29 years old group (73.98/10⁵). Of all patients, farmers, workers and migrant laborers accounted for 57.29%, 10.60% and 11.26%, respectively. Conclusion Syphilis epidemic in Lanxi shows a marked upward trend, so it is imperative to enhance health education and surveillance and take specific prevention measures so as to control the syphilis epidemic effectively.