The syphilis epidemics in Hungary 1985–2004, before entering the European Union

Abstract

In the decade prior to the turn of the millennium, great interest was raised, and rightly so, by the STD (syphilis and HIV/AIDS) epidemic that developed in the Eastern-Central European Region. Its coincidence with the far-reaching political and economic changes that took place at that time suggested a link between the two events.Hungary, where these infections had had low incidence before the period investigated, also experienced an increase in STD incidence. The trend in syphilis infection during the 20 years between 1985-2004, that preceded the turn of the millennium and when finally Hungary joined the European Union, have been analyzed. Due to the nature of venereological epidemiological surveillance in Hungary, syphilis prevalence data are appropriate for further analysis from socio-demographic aspects. Behavioural changes underlying the specific features of the epidemics in Hungary had developed several years earlier and cannot be linked to the political and economic changes that started in the early 90s. The only exception is the phenomenon of growing migration that appeared simultaneously with the political changes and had a decisive impact on the spread and level of infection in some areas in the country. As shown by our data, trends seen in specific demographic groups (females, rural population) preceded the suddenly occurring political changes by about 15 years.