
New data from the UK Health Security Agency was published last Friday which showed a marked increase in rates of syphilis in our home region of the West Midlands.
According to the new figures, between 2021 and 2023, diagnoses of infectious syphilis in the region rose to 736 in 2023, a 32% increase from 557 diagnoses in 2021. While the number of diagnoses remains highest among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), the largest proportional rise between 2021 and 2023 was in heterosexual individuals.
Diagnoses of infectious syphilis in the West Midlands increased by 121% (43 to 95) among heterosexual women, and 149% (75 to 187) among heterosexual men, compared to 25% for GBMSM (224 to 280). This represents the highest percentage increase in infectious syphilis diagnoses among all heterosexual men in England, alongside a large percentage increase of the disease in heterosexual women.<
Saving Lives acknowledges the challenge this picture pose for all of us working in sexual health across the region. Our Medical Director, Dr Steve Taylor, says:
“People don’t realise that syphilis is an infection that is a remains problem today. They just think it’s an historical issue.”Crucially, many don’t realise how easily it can be transmitted sexually – and that this includes oral sex.
“Furthermore, the symptoms can be subtle and a person can remain infectious to others for up to 2 years from the time of infection.
“This mixture of symptoms that are difficult to spot and an assumption that syphilis is a disease of the past make fighting its spread particularly hard.”
UKHSA are writing to healthcare providers in the West Midlands to emphasise the urgency of the challenge. Angela Cartwright, Consultant in Health Protection at UKHSA West Midlands added:
“Syphilis can cause irreversible long-term health effects if not treated, including severe heart, brain, bone, eye and nerve complications. It can also be passed on to an unborn baby during pregnancy and may lead to miscarriage or long-term disability.
“The good news is that once diagnosed, syphilis can be readily treated and cured with antibiotics, usually a single or course of injections, or a short course of tablets. People need to avoid any sexual contact for at least two weeks after their treatment has finished, to make sure the infection does not return or spread. Untreated syphilis will not go away on its own.”
Saving Lives provides syphilis tests via TakeATestUK.com. We recommend using condoms with new and casual partners and regular testing for STIs.
If you have any of the symptoms described above, I would certainly recommend getting tested. If we do diagnose syphilis, early treatment is pretty straightforwards although a bit uncomfortable. It consists of 2 injections of penicillin, one in each buttock – this may be needed only once in early syphilis or for 3 weeks for latent syphilis.
Treatment needs to be undertaken in a specialised clinic. Don’t forget: it’s really important to get your sexual partners tested. Health advisors in the Sexual health clinic can help you with this anonymously.
Read Dr Taylor’s blog on syphilis here.