Syphilis cases are on the rise across Australia. Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd AO has now declared syphilis a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance.
In 2023, Australia saw a record high 6,566 cases of infectious syphilis. In 2024, cases remained concerningly high at 5,968 cases. This year, as of 6 August, Australia has already recorded 3,546 cases of infectious syphilis.
Syphilis is a bacterial infection in your blood that is easily transmitted. You can get it from anal or oral sex or through direct skin-to-skin contact with sores or rashes you may not notice on the genitals, arse, mouth, lips or skin.
Syphilis is preventable and is easy to treat if found early. Testing and treatment are simple and accessible. The best way to find out if you’ve contracted syphilis is to get a blood test.
Similar to other STIs, syphilis often shows no symptoms, and can go undetected and untreated. This can lead to serious health problems.
ACON urges people in our communities to test regularly for STIs. Early detection is key at limiting the severity of many STIs and preventing onward transmission to sexual partners. When diagnosed early, syphilis is treated with an antibiotic injection and/or course of antibiotic tablets.
Find more information about Syphilis on the Ending HIV website here: Syphilis | Stages & Symptoms | Testing & Treatment for Syphilis | Ending HIV
To find out the best location near you for an STI check, phone the NSW Sexual Health Info Link on 1800 451 624.