Syphilis in female sex workers: an epidemiological study of the highway system of the state of Pará, northern Brazil.

Introduction: Female sex workers (FSWs) are considered a bridge for transmission of pathogens from high-risk to general populations. We assessed the epidemiological status of syphilis in FSWs along the Pará highway system.

Methods: Two hundred and twenty-two FSWs were interviewed and samples were analyzed using rapid qualitative tests and real-time polymerase chain reaction.