The Article in Brief

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force examined research on syphilis conducted from 1994 to 2003. Based on this evidence, the Task Force recommends that pregnant women and people who are at higher risk for syphilis infection receive screening tests for the disease. People at higher risk for syphilis include men who have sex with men and engage in high-risk sexual behavior, commercial sex workers, persons who exchange sex for drugs, and those in adult correctional facilities. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends against routine screening of people who are not at increased risk for syphilis infection and do not show symptoms of the disease.