| Latent and Tertiary Syphilis Risks |
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The syphilis outbreak began in Western Australia just over two years ago. Before this time syphilis had virtually disappeared and was thought of as a thing of the past, but a world-wide outbreak amongst men who have sex with men finally crept its way over the West Australian borders around Christmas time in 2006.
Most sexual activities can lead to syphilis infection. Receiving or giving oral sex without condoms, (which is the norm leaving most men at risk), rimming, and having anal sex without condoms (as both top or bottom) can transmit syphilis. If you have been sexually active with other men in Western Australia, interstate, or abroad in the last two to five years, and not been tested for syphilis with a blood test, it is very important that you get a test now. Some symptoms of syphilis include a painless ulcer at the time of infection on the penis, balls, mouth, throat, anus or rectum which heals spontaneously within a few weeks. Further symptoms of syphilis include a rash on the palms of hands, soles of feet and torso of the body, swollen lymph glands, flu like symptoms and patchy hair loss. Symptoms of tertiary syphilis vary depending on which internal body organs are being attacked. If you can remember having any of these symptoms, it may be a sign of syphilis. If you have not noticed any symptoms you could still have syphilis because it can often have no symptoms, or extremely mild symptoms which go unnoticed. For all sexually active same sex attracted men in Western Australia it is important to have a blood test for syphilis at least once a year (and more frequently if you have ten or more partners a year). The syphilis epidemic is not over and is not likely to be beaten anytime soon. If you have had syphilis in the past you can become reinfected. Frequent testing and treatment is one of our most effective ways of reducing syphilis infections and protecting our health. Tests are available by appointment at the West Australian AIDS Council Ben Bradstreet |
For those sexually active, same sex attracted men, who haven’t tested in the last couple of years, it is time to consider the risks of latent and tertiary syphilis. After two or more years of untreated infection, syphilis can become latent or early tertiary. At this stage it becomes more difficult to treat (but is still treatable). Left for longer periods than two years without treatment, syphilis can begin to attack internal body organs- like the eyes, heart and brain- leading to irreversible damage, and in extreme cases death. We have already started to see men, who had not tested for the past couple of years, testing positive to latent syphilis.
