High prevalence of syphilis among demobilized child soldiers in Eastern Congo: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Syphilis, a known major public health issue for soldiers during periods of conflict, is exacerbated in the Democratic Republic of Congo due to widespread sexual violence. However, there has been no previous study to determine the extent of this problem. Therefore, we determined the prevalence of syphilis among young demobilized soldiers. METHODS: Screening of syphilis using the rapid plasma reagin test and the Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay was conducted in three transit sites of soldier reintegration in 2005. The Fisher Exact probability test was used to compare results. RESULTS: The prevalence of syphilis was found to be 3.4%, with almost equal distribution in respect to sex, location. CONCLUSION: Syphilis continues to be highly prevalent in demobilized child soldiers in Eastern Congo. Syphilis screening tests are recommended.