The annual number of gay and bisexual men who have contracted infectious syphilis has almost doubled, prompting a call for DHBs to make sexual health a higher priority. Dr Peter Saxton Sexual Health Clinics have reported a rise from 81 cases of infectious syphilis last year to 141, with 86 percent of all 2014 cases found in gay and bisexual men. Auckland and Waikato have had the most severe increase in infection. Auckland’s infection rate has more than doubled over this period, with numbers rising from 41 cases of syphilis to 85. Further south, Waikato has also seen a large increase in infection from 6 to 16 cases. The Canterbury region recorded the second highest annual numbers with 27 cases in 2014. Of the 121 national cases of infectious syphilis among gay and bisexual men, only 37 percent of men reported symptoms, a third of infections were among HIV positive men. Syphilis is the only STI apart from HIV for which sexuality data is currently reported in New Zealand. Dr Peter Sexton of the Gay Men’s Sexual Health research group at the University of Auckland says, “Syphilis will continue to spread and risks becoming a serious endemic problem unless DHBs are required to make sexual health a higher priority.” “Syphilis is efficiently transmitted, is often unrecognised and already has a firm foothold. It is far easier to stop a communicable epidemic early than bring an established one back under control,” he says. A marked increase in infectious syphilis cases has continued in Auckland in 2015 and Saxton says Auckland and other DHBs need to develop and implement syphilis outbreak plans. “Sexual health services must be properly resourced for screening and contact tracing. Community agencies need to be funded to promote syphilis awareness and encourage screening,” said Saxton. “STI surveillance systems have alerted us to this outbreak: now affected DHBs need to act quickly.” Sexton says syphilis is easily treatable, but needs to be diagnosed. Condom use, partner reduction, screening, treatment and contact tracing can reduce transmission. What to watch out for: Syphilis can produce a painless sore on your penis, in your anus, or in your mouth 10-90 days after infection. The sore usually turns into a scab and heals after 2-6 weeks, but the infection remains. If left untreated, syphilis can cause damage to your nerves, bones, skin, eyes and brain. GPs can provide full sexual health check-ups, or free tests can be booked at sexual health services or community agencies such as NZAF or Body Positive.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 16th December 2015 - 3:02pm