Health, Australia (Commonwealth Union) – Australia witnesses a peak in venereal diseases, the recent report from the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) claims, Australian diagnoses of gonorrhea doubled, and syphilis tripled.
Accordingly, Chlamydia cases have also risen by 12% since 2013, and concerns arise as low testing rates during the COVID-19 pandemic may perpetuate these trends. Lead researcher at the Kirby Institute, Dr. Skye McGregor expresses particular concern about the increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) occurring amidst reduced testing. Additionally, there has been a decrease in Medicare-rebated tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea for both men and women between 2019 and 2022, likely influenced by the lingering effects of the pandemic.
By reflecting on the data from past decade health care specialists would be able to direct more appropriate treatments and testing for the year 2024.
“Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are easily treatable with antibiotics. The key message we want Australians to take away from these data is that for any sexually active person, condoms remain highly effective at preventing STIs, and regular STI testing is crucial,” explained Dr McGregor.
In 2022, there were 93,777 reported cases of chlamydia, 32,877 cases of gonorrhea, and 6,036 cases of infectious syphilis.
Researchers of the report expressed concerns due to the fact that over the past decade, the incidence of syphilis has more than tripled. While the majority of cases still occur in men, there has been a six-fold increase in the number of women diagnosed with syphilis during the same period.
Dr McGregor further points out that the key part of this is combating stigma around sexual health and notifying sexual partners when someone has tested positive for an STI.
‘As early testing, diagnosis and treatment of STIs prevents serious long-term outcomes.”
The surge in syphilis among women is particularly troubling because, despite being entirely preventable, untreated syphilis during pregnancy can result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or congenital syphilis—a condition where the infection is transmitted to unborn children. Congenital syphilis poses severe risks for infants, leading to significant lifelong health impacts and, in the most extreme cases, fatalities, warns Dr. McGregor.
The report reveals that in 2022, there were 15 cases of congenital syphilis, with eight occurring among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Over the past five years, there have been 69 cases of congenital syphilis, and tragically, 18 of them resulted in the infant’s death.
The incidence of congenital syphilis is significantly higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants, being 14 times greater compared to non-Indigenous infants. Despite the importance of STI testing during pre- and antenatal health screening for all pregnant individuals, the report indicates that almost half of the mothers of infants diagnosed with congenital syphilis did not receive antenatal care. Dr. McGregor emphasizes the crucial need for comprehensive services to ensure accessible and appropriate care for all pregnant individuals.
The report highlights a historically low number of congenital syphilis cases across all populations from 2013 to 2019. The sudden increase since the pandemic has raised serious concerns among researchers, community groups, and health departments.
Dr. McGregor pointed out that timely screening can effectively cure syphilis, making even one case of congenital syphilis both avoidable and unacceptable. Collaborating with their partners, they are actively addressing the breakdown in pre-natal screening.
The report highlights that a significant number of chlamydia cases in Australia go undiagnosed and untreated, emphasizing the urgent need for increased testing. Left untreated, chlamydia can lead to serious long-term health consequences such as pelvic inflammatory disease in women and infertility in both men and women.
Researchers of the report point out that testing for Chlamydia and gonorrhea should possibly be increased. Further evaluations into the causes of this increase may benefit healthcare worker in further resolving the issues surrounding this increase.
