Paris syphilis screening campaign extended to selected French towns and cities

Syphilis cases in France have been increasing rapidly since 2000. Cases of infectious syphilis diagnosed in Paris increased from 30 in 2000 to 148 in 2001, and 203 were reported between January and October 2002 (1). In light of the resurgence of syphilis in France and other European countries in recent years (2-6), the French authorities began a syphilis screening campaign in Paris in May 2002. Syphilis has not been a notifiable disease in France since 1986, but in 2000, the Institut de Veille Sanitaire (InVS) set up a surveillance network that included clinical settings, including STI clinics (Dispensaires antiveneriens, DAV), dermato-venereology clinics, and internal medicine clinics.