In MSM with positive syphilis serology, up to the year 2000, 66.7 % were late presenters and 33.3 % were early presenters. In 2001–2010, the former declined to 40.5 %, leading to a majority of 59.5 % early presenters in the group of MSM with positive syphilis serology. In contrast, in MSM with negative TPHA/TPPA, there was no change in the proportion of late presenters before 2001 (54.8 %) compared to 2001–2010 (53.7 %) (Fig. 4).