Syphilis deaths Queensland: Baby death toll increasing across states
There are fears that an outbreak of a deadly sexually transmitted disease that began in northwest Queensland will continue to claim the lives of unborn babies across the state.
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There are fears that an outbreak of a deadly sexually transmitted disease that began in northwest Queensland will continue to claim the lives of unborn babies across the state.
Dr Jill Parkes-Smith, an obstetric medicine and infectious diseases specialist at Mater Mothers’ Hospital in Brisbane, said that in the past year, four babies had died from congenital syphilis, a disease that occurs when a baby is infected in the womb.
“With four congenital deaths in the past year in Queensland and case numbers increasing, it is likely we will see more deaths if something doesn’t change,” she said.
“Tragically, it is likely that all of the congenital syphilis deaths we saw last year could have been prevented if the disease had been detected earlier.”
It is the highest annual number of congenital syphilis deaths recorded this century, with health professionals concerned that the worst is yet to come.
Dr Parkes-Smith said increased screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) was needed to control the outbreak.
Syphilis, which can be screened for by a blood test, is spread via sexual contact from person to person, including via oral sex, and can be protected against by condom use and dental dams.
“People think syphilis is a historical disease and there’s a real stigma attached to it,” she said.
“Unfortunately, syphilis cases are on the rise and the disease can have few symptoms.
The rate of infectious syphilis cases in Queensland increased from 3.1 to 26.4 cases per 100,000 people per year between 2001 and 2023 — a nine-fold rise.
The outbreak began in the state’s northwest, but rates are currently highest in Far North Queensland, Central Queensland and parts of Greater Brisbane.
Syphilis can be easily cured with penicillin, but if left untreated can lead to a number of neurological issues such as hearing loss and visual disturbances.
Congenital syphilis can also be treated if detected early, but if left untreated the risks of abnormalities and stillbirth increase as the pregnancy progresses.
Dr Parkes-Smith said infections were increasing among both non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians.
“People who are sexually active should consider being screened if they have a new sexual partner, they haven’t had a test before, have symptoms or have concerns,” she said.
“Some groups, including pregnant women, will need more frequent testing.”
Experts believe the outbreak is being fuelled by several factors, including:
• A decrease in condom use
• Barriers to accessing health care, especially in rural and remote areas
• The use of dating apps
• A possible increase in the number of men who have sex with both men and women
Dr Parkes-Smith encouraged GPs and other clinicians to increase screening requests for high-risk patients, including pregnant patients.
“Our caseload of syphilis in pregnancy has increased significantly and it’s disheartening because the best time to treat a patient is before they conceive.”
She said had seen more deaths from congenital syphilis “than I ever expected to see when I became an infectious diseases physician”.
“We have to get the message out there,” she said.
“The time to act is now.”
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Originally published as Syphilis deaths Queensland: Baby death toll increasing across states
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