Syphilis cases on the rise among Australian women

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-07-29 15:00

Australia; NSW; QLD; WA; ACT

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Syphilis cases have risen in Australia over the past decade among women, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, according to Australian research. The team analysed national syphilis case data from 2011-2021, alongside data on babies born with syphilis (congenital syphilis). The researchers say for non-Indigenous Australian women, the syphilis rate rose from 1.1 cases per 100,000 people to 9.2 over the decade. For Indigenous women, the rate rose from 56 per 100,000 people to 227. Seventy-four cases of congenital syphilis in babies were reported over the decade, and the researchers say in almost half of these cases, the mother had not received any medical care during pregnancy. Improving equitable access to pregnancy healthcare could help reduce the number of babies born with syphilis, the researchers conclude.