Infectious syphilis cases continue to surge in Australia, particularly among women of reproductive age and babies, despite pandemic restrictions reducing other STIs.  

Public health experts say the rising cases — which have been recorded in multiple states — are a “high-priority health issue” and are calling for health professionals to remain vigilant.  

Speaking at the Communicable Diseases and Immunisation Conference in Sydney, epidemiologist Elenor Kerr said, while notifications for chlamydia and gonorrhoea had substantially declined in NSW over the past two years, infectious syphilis had bucked the trend.

She noted that the overall notification rate for syphilis decreased 16% between 2019 and 2021, compared with 25% and 38% decreases for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, respectively.