Factors associated with HIV co-infection in cases of acquired syphilis reported in a Reference Center for Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil, 2014.

OBJECTIVE: to describe sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics and to identify factors associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection in cases of acquired syphilis reported in a Reference Center for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) and AIDS.

METHODS: cross-sectional study with secondary data from a Reference Center for STD and AIDS in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2014; the Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).

RESULTS: 648 cases of acquired syphilis were reported, and 98% were male; 88% were men who have sex with men (MSM) and 57% had HIV co-infection; male sex (PR=1.95; 95%CI 1.05;3.61) and MSM (PR=1.87; 95%CI 1.38;2.53) were factors independently associated with HIV co-infection.

CONCLUSION: there was a high prevalence of HIV co-infection in the service analyzed, disproportionately affecting MSM who were notified with acquired syphilis.