An outbreak of syphilis amongst gay and bisexual men in Auckland has again reinforced the importance of using condoms for anal sex, says the New Zealand AIDS Foundation. 25 cases have been reported in Auckland since July last year. The NZAF's Gay Men's Health Team says early testing and treatment for the sexually-transmitted infection is vital. “Syphilis is easily spread by unprotected anal sex, and it's highly infectious,” says Gay Men's Health Team Co-ordinator Douglas Jenkin. “It's especially nasty for HIV-positive men, as syphilis progresses faster with a weakened immune system and significantly increases the likelihood of passing on HIV to a sexual partner.” As with HIV, consistent use of condoms for anal sex will protect against syphilis. However, syphilis can also be passed on through oral sex. “If you have a lot of oral sex with different partners, it would be wise to get tested for syphilis,” Jenkin says. “The good news is that it's easy to test for and is completely curable by taking a course of antibiotics.” If left untreated, syphilis can develop over time into a serious and fatal condition. “Sometimes you won't show any symptoms - this is why regular sexual health check-ups are important for gay and bisexual men who are very sexually active,” Jenkin advises. A list of testing locations and information about syphilis is available on the Gay Men's Health website at the link below. Ref: NZAF (m)