Rise in syphilis prompts warning

Hamilton health care providers are being alerted to a sharp rise in infectious syphilis.

Public health put out a medical advisory Thursday to flag the 163 confirmed cases of the sexually transmitted infection in Hamilton in 2021, a rate increase of 2.8 times since 2019.

If left untreated, it can affect the brain and nervous system.

“Rates of infectious syphilis have increased in both males and females and is highest among individuals aged 30 to 39 years old,” stated the advisory from Dr. Bart Harvey, an associate medical officer of health. “Males ... continue to be disproportionately affected.”

The advisory also notes four Hamilton cases of early congenital syphilis in 2021, which occurs when an infected mom passes it on to her baby during pregnancy or childbirth. It’s considered early when it shows up in the first three months of life as opposed to late when it manifests after two years.

In comparison, there were two cases in 2020 and one case each in 2018 and 2017. There were no cases reported from 2012 to 2016.

It’s significant because it can cause miscarriage, still birth, prematurity, low birth weight, deformed bones, low blood count, enlarged liver and spleen, jaundice, brain and nerve problems including blindness or deafness, meningitis, skin rashes or even death.

While the increase outlined in the advisory was over the course of the pandemic, a Hamilton public health leader said it has been on the rise for much longer than that.

“Syphilis is the only sexually transmitted infection that's been trending up over the past five years,” said Michelle Baird, director of epidemiology, wellness and communicable disease control. “With respect to why syphilis and not others, we don’t know the answer to that.”

Despite the need for sexual health services, public health had to reduce or close clinics, testing events and outreach at various times over the pandemic. Even now, only the downtown Sexual Health Clinic at David Braley Health Sciences Centre on Main Street West is running. Before that, there were three other clinics operating in Waterdown, east Hamilton and on the Mountain.

Public health has started adding nurses back twice a week to the van-needle exchange and offers testing at Notre Dame House.