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Manatū Hauora – Ministry of Health and Institute of
Environmental Science and Research (ESR) are asking people
to take steps to protect themselves and others from
syphilis, including people who are pregnant and their
partners, as unborn babies are especially at risk.
New
data from ESR, released ahead of formal publication, shows a
41 percent increase in Aotearoa New Zealand syphilis cases
in the second half of 2022 (from 99 cases in the first
quarter to 140 in the fourth quarter). This increase comes
after a steady decline in syphilis cases since
2019.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection
which, if untreated, can affect the brain, and other organs
as well as increasing the risk of getting
HIV.
Syphilis in pregnancy can lead to stillbirths,
congenital abnormalities, and severe illness in
babies.
Early symptoms of non-congenital include a
sore or ulcer (called a chancre) at the site of infection,
usually the genitals, anus or mouth. Later symptoms can
include rashes, sometimes with spots on the palms of the
hands and soles of the feet, swollen lymph glands, fever,
headaches, tiredness, and warty growths in skin
folds.
Syphilis is preventable through practicing safe
sex, such as using a condom or oral dam, and having regular
STI (Sexually transmitted infections) check-ups to pick up
infections and prevent passing them on. A simple blood test
can detect the illness and it can be treated with
antibiotics. Testing for syphilis in the first trimester of
pregnancy should be a part of routine antenatal care for all
pregnant women in New Zealand. Early detection and treatment
of syphilis in pregnancy is highly effective in protecting
babies from infection. Pregnant women who are unsure if they
have been tested, or have concerns about STIs, can ask for a
syphilis blood test at any time.
“Syphilis is
preventable and can be treated”, says Manatū Hauora
Director of Public Health Dr Nicholas Jones. “Syphilis
infections have been rising globally, including in New
Zealand. People need to be aware that there is increased
risk of infection during sex and consequences can be
serious.
“Many people with syphilis do not have any
symptoms or have only minor symptoms that may go unnoticed.
Testing and treatment for syphilis is a crucial part of
control of the disease, along with condom use. ”
The
ESR data shows the rise in cases in late 2022 has been
largely among men, with men who have sex with men recording
an 81 percent increase in 2022 between Quarter 1 (1 January
to 31 March) and Quarter 4 (1 October to 31 December). There
was also a spike in syphilis cases among men who have sex
with women, with a 76 percent increase between Quarter 1 and
Quarter 4 of 2022.
Dr Julia Scott, Public Health
Physician at ESR, says that there has been a sharp increase
in syphilis cases reported since the second half of
2022.
“One concerning impact of rising cases of
syphilis is the possibility of transmission from mother to
child during pregnancy, and syphilis in babies, called
congenital syphilis. Congenital syphilis is completely
preventable, and our aim should be zero cases. In
Aotearoa, the number of cases of syphilis identified in
pregnancy and in babies remains higher than it should be,
with six cases of congenital syphilis reported in 2022.
Māori and Pacific people are disproportionally represented
in cases of syphilis during pregnancy and congenital
syphilis,” says Dr Scott.
Eliminating congenital
syphilis is one of the key aims of
Manatū Hauora’s Syphilis Action Plan, part of the
wider Ngā Pokenga Paipai me Ngā Pokenga Huaketo mā te
Toto: Te Rautaki o Aotearoa – The Sexually Transmitted and
Blood borne Infections Strategy, published on Sunday 12
March 2023. Other goals include arresting the recent
increases, eliminating ethnic inequities, and reducing
suffering and poor health outcomes for people infected with
syphilis.
To meet these goals, Manatū Hauora is
working with Te Whatu Ora and Te Aka Whai Ora to support
more equitable and timely access to sexual health and
antenatal care for all New Zealanders, which includes
testing and treatment for syphilis.
Additional
information
Syphilis by the
numbers
- There were 487 cases of infectious
syphilis in 2022, with the majority (289) reported in the
second half of 2022. This compares with 449 cases in
2021. - Most cases of syphilis continue to be reported
in males aged 20–39 years with the majority among
European/other ethnicities (174 cases), followed by Māori
(167 cases), Pacific people (66 cases), Asian (49 cases),
Middle Eastern Latin American and African (13 cases), and
Unknown (19 cases). - Across the regions, Auckland
(309 cases), Waikato (55 cases), and Wellington (35 cases)
account for the majority of notified cases. - More
detailed information from 2022 will be made available on
ESR’s website
shortly.
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