Around half of people with syphilis are asymptomatic, with symptoms often unnoticed in areas not routinely examined.
Condoms offer partial protection (50-60% risk reduction), and transmission can also occur from mother to baby, mainly transplacentally.
The New Zealand Sexual Health Society STI Guidelines1 recommend syphilis screening with serology history and clinical assessment for:
- routine sexual health checks
- routine first antenatal screens and later in pregnancy (third trimester)
- men who have sex with men (at least annually or with every sexual health check)
- people living with HIV (with every round of HIV bloods)
- sexual contacts of someone with syphilis.
Any positive syphilis test should be referred to or discussed with a Sexual Health Physician.
Gem reviewed by Dr Massimo Giola, Sexual Health Physician.
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