Health experts fear rise in gonorrhoea, amid soaring syphilis cases in Melbourne suburbs
Melbourne is currently grappling with a syphilis ‘epidemic’, but health experts fear another sexually transmitted infection is on the rise – gonorrhoea.
It’s prompted one specialist to say we are living in an “era of STIs”, as experts warn the use of dating apps is increasing the spread.
Melbourne Sexual Health Centre data released this week revealed there had been a 45 per cent increase in notified syphilis cases between 2015 and 2018.
The explosion of infections had health experts worried enough to say an “epidemic was in place”.
This includes a 220 per cent spike in cases among women.
“The major concern with the rise in syphilis among women of reproductive age is infection during pregnancy and congenital syphilis,” epidemiologist associate professor Eric Chow said.
“We know syphilis can cause major complications during pregnancy and even result in the death of the child, so we’re urging all women at high risk to get screened during their third trimester in addition to the universal screening during the first.”
Syphilis starts with an appearance of sores or ulcers, before developing into a rash.
Most syphilis infections occur in gay or bisexual men.
The latest figures show a 21 per cent rise in infections among men in same-sex relationships in Melbourne.
