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标题：A decision to end periodic syphilis-screening program in the Kimberly region
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作者：Donna B Mak ; C D'Arcy J Holman
期刊名称：Communicable Diseases Intelligence
印刷版ISSN：1447-4514
电子版ISSN：1445-4866
出版年度：2000
卷号：24
期号：12
页码：386-390
出版社：Government Department of Health and Ageing
摘要：Syphilis rates in the Kimberley region of far-northern Western Australia are among the highest in the nation. In1986, a formal program of periodic syphilis screening was established. Decreasing syphilis rates since the early1990s prompted, in 1999, re-evaluation of the value of periodic screening. All confirmed cases of syphilis identifiedin the Kimberley between January 1996 and early December 1999 as a result of syphilis serology were classified byreason for the test and staged according to disease progression. During the study period, 196 cases of syphilis (117male, 79 female) were diagnosed; 14 (7.1%) were primary, 32 (16.3%) secondary and 150 (76.5%) latent. Theperiodic screening program contributed only about 10 per cent of cases, whereas testing as a result of sexuallytransmitted disease symptoms, sexually transmitted disease contact, institutional screening and other screeningcontributed the remaining cases. In January 2000, the periodic syphilis-screening program was discontinued. Theeffect of this policy change will be closely monitored using indicators to ensure that, should the decision not toscreen prove to have been misjudged, any increase in syphilis incidence is detected early and managedappropriately