Syphilis
Health alert
Status: Active
Last updated: 18 March 2024
Issued by: Chief Health Officer
Issued to: Health professionals
Syphilis is a sexually transmissible infection (STI) usually caused by having vaginal, oral or anal sex with a person who is infected.
Both men and women can be infected. It can also be passed on during pregnancy from mother to child.
Current situation
The Northern Territory (NT) has the highest rates of sexually transmissible infections (STIs), including infectious syphilis nationally.
These high rates arise in the setting of an ongoing syphilis outbreak across the NT, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia. Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the 15 to 24 year age group experience the greatest burden of infection in the NT. Two cases of congenital syphilis were notified in 2023, and one of these babies was stillborn.
Health professionals are urged to take action as per the most current health alert.
Alerts to health professionals
- Health alert: syphilis - high rates and congenital syphilis case notifications PDF (906.4 KB) (18 March 2024)
- Health alert: syphilis PDF (276.4 KB) (31 October 2023)
Notifiable disease
Syphilis is a notifiable disease.
Sexual health information for professionals
Follow your clinical guidelines relevant to your setting such as the below resources.
| Type | Resource | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Document | NT guidelines for the management of sexually transmitted infections in the primary health care setting | NT Health |
| Document | CARPA Remote primary health care manuals | Remote PHC manuals |
| Document | Australian STI management guidelines for use in primary care | ASHM |
| Tropical Health Orientation Manual for health practitioners in Northern Australia | Syphilis | Centre for Remote Health |
Information for the public
| Type | Resource | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Webpage | Syphilis | Heath direct |
| Webpage | Syphilis translated information | Stay STI free |
| Webpage | Young deadly free | Young deadly free |
Get a sexual health check-up
| Organisation | Locations | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Clinic 34 | Darwin region, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs | Northern Territory Government |
| Family planning welfare clinic | Darwin region | Family planning |
| GP | Various locations | Health direct |
| Remote health services | Remote communities | Northern Territory Government |
| Aboriginal medical services | Remote and urban locations | AMSANT |
Find out where to get free condoms in the Northern Territory on the Northern Territory Government website.
Contact
Contact the Public Health Unit’s Centre for Disease Control.
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