Syphilis rates are on the rise in Manitoba and the Parkland.
Dr Amy Frykoda with PMH says homosexual intercourse was a part of the rise in syphilis rates in early years but recently, it’s heterosexual transmission that’s rising.
Early on, syphilis can cause a rash on the palms of the hands and bottom of the feet, fever, muscle pain, and fatigue.
Syphilis can cause painful sores, or in progressed cases, damage to internal organs or even death.
In Manitoba, there were 800 cases of syphilis last year, while 10 years ago there were 7.
In the Prairie Mountain Health Region, syphilis rates have gone from 3 in 2014 up to 30 in 2018. Congenital syphilis, which is passed from a pregnant mother to the baby hadn’t been seen in almost 50 years when it occurred in 2015 and last year in Manitoba there were 10 cases.
Frykoda says syphilis is likely to spread if someone has multiple sex partners, uses injection drugs, if they are homeless, or involved in sex work.
Frykoda encourages people to get checked because syphilis is treatable and curable with the right antibiotics.
