Doctors warn of rise in syphilis cases causing unborn baby deaths in Queensland

Doctors have warned an outbreak of a sexually transmitted disease has led to a sharp increase in the deaths of unborn babies.

Congenital syphilis can also be successfully treated if detected early, but the risks of abnormalities and stillbirth increase as the pregnancy progresses, if left untreated. Picture: File

Doctors have warned an outbreak of a sexually transmitted disease has led to a sharp increase in the deaths of unborn babies in Queensland.

Medical practitioners in the state are concerned that more fatalities from congenital syphilis are likely and have called for heightened sexually transmitted infection (STI) screenings to manage the situation.

Syphilis cases are rising across Queensland and are particularly affecting unborn babies following an outbreak in the state’s northwest, according to Brisbane’s Mater Mothers’ Hospital.

In 2023, four babies died from congenital syphilis, a condition where an infant is infected with the disease in the womb by the mother. This marked the highest annual death toll from congenital syphilis recorded in Queensland this century.

“It is likely we will see more deaths if something doesn’t change,” said the hospital’s obstetric medicine and infectious disease specialist, Jill Parkes-Smith, via the Daily Mail.

“I have already seen more deaths from congenital syphilis than I ever expected to see when I became an infectious diseases physician.”

Three more babies have already died from congenital syphilis in Queensland in 2024, according to the state’s latest health data.

Syphilis is transmitted through sexual contact and can be prevented by using contraception like condoms and dental dams.

Doctors have warned an outbreak of a sexually transmitted disease has led to a sharp increase in the deaths of unborn babies in Queensland. Picture: File

The disease is both detectable and treatable, but cases of infectious syphilis have surged in the last two decades, rising from 3.1 to 26.4 cases per 100,000 people annually.

“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,” Dr. Parkes-Smith said, while urging healthcare providers to prioritise screenings for high-risk patients, particularly pregnant women.

Syphilis is easily treated with penicillin, but if it goes undiagnosed, it can lead to neurological issues like hearing loss.

In cases of congenital syphilis, the risk of birth defects and stillbirth is much higher, though the condition is treatable with antibiotics.

“People think syphilis is a historical disease and there’s a real stigma attached to it,” Dr. Parkes-Smith said.

The rise in syphilis cases has been observed in both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Queenslanders.

While the outbreak originated in the northwest, cases are now spreading to the far north, greater Brisbane, and central parts of the state, according to the hospital.

Originally published as Doctors warn of rise in syphilis cases causing unborn baby deaths in Queensland