Screening of Syphilis in Abroad Job Seeking Healthy Males

Abstract

This study was carried out to find out the prevalence of syphilis is healthy male populations. Test
for Syphilis is mandatory for those who apply for overseas employment, especially in Middle East
countries. From randomly selected Nepalese male population (16-50 years) seeking jobs abroad, 2585
blood samples were collected and tested by nontreponemal test, the Rapid Plasma Reagin test and
by treponemal test, the Treponema pallidum haemagglutination test. Confirmed cases of syphilis were
22 (0.85%). No association of syphilis with any age groups (X2 = 6.6465, P>0.05) and development
regions were observed (X2 = 1.8782, P>0.05). Syphilis occurrence was almost equal in terai (0.94%)
and hilly region (0.9%) and was none in mountainous region showing no association (X2 = 1.5334,
P>0.05). In eastern development region, all the cases were from terai region showing significantly
greater occurrence of syphilis in terai region (X2 = 4.334, P<0.05). In the contrary, all the cases of
syphilis in mid-western development region were from hilly region, however this finding was not
statistically significant (X2 = 0.5497, P>0.05). Asymptomatic stage of syphilis may lead to tertiary
syphilis; hence, People should be educated about the disease; they should be screened and treated
when required.

Key Words: asymptomatic, latent stage, rapid plasma reagin, syphilis, screening