Health board urges people to get tested as syphilis rates remain high

Nation.Cymru staff

People are being urged to get tested for syphilis as one health board continues to record some of the highest rates of the sexually transmitted infection in Wales.

Health professionals in Swansea Bay say cases remain high compared with many other areas of Wales, despite a slight fall over the past two years.

Syphilis is a bacterial infection which can be treated with antibiotics, but people can have the infection without experiencing any symptoms and may unknowingly pass it on.

Swansea Bay University Health Board’s sexual health service is launching an awareness campaign encouraging people to take advantage of free and confidential testing.

Advanced Nurse Practitioner Carly Porter said: “As far as I am concerned, the sooner you test, the sooner you are diagnosed and the sooner you are treated.”

Early symptoms can include a rash on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, chest or stomach, as well as small painless ulcers and swollen lymph nodes.

Health professionals say a lack of symptoms in many cases may be contributing to continued transmission, while there is also a lack of awareness that syphilis can be contracted through oral sex.

Ms Porter said: “Education is important, as is destigmatising syphilis.

“While more cases are seen in males aged 25 to 34, that is not the whole story.

“Anyone who is sexually active can be affected and we have seen cases in people aged from 17 to 70 plus.

“What we want is for people to have sex safely. Using condoms is a brilliant start.

“But if you are concerned, get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms. This helps us to identify cases, start treatment and reduce the spread.”

Rise

Senior Public Health Practitioner Sarah Johnson said syphilis cases have risen steadily across Wales over the past decade, while diagnoses across the UK have reached their highest level since 1948.

“We have seen a slight drop in cases over the past two years in Swansea Bay, but Carly and her colleagues still see a lot of patients, including pregnant women, which is why we want to start the conversation,” she said.

Syphilis can be passed from a mother to her baby, making early testing and treatment particularly important during pregnancy.

Testing

Testing is available through sexual health clinics and 47 community pharmacies across Swansea Bay, while at-home testing kits can also be ordered.

The home kits include a finger-prick blood test for syphilis as well as tests for HIV, hepatitis B and C, chlamydia and gonorrhoea. Results are sent by text along with information about accessing treatment where necessary.

People do not need to have symptoms to be tested.

Ms Porter said: “My motto is that negative results are just as important as the positives. If you test now and get a negative result that’s a good benchmark because if you test again and get a positive result, we will have an idea of how long you have had the infection.

“We also recommend getting the other tests for sexually transmitted infections. We can also do those tests in clinic, or you can order them online.”

Testing and advice are confidential and available regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation or relationship status.

People who receive a positive result are encouraged to tell their sexual partners so they can also be tested and treated.

Hannah Richards, interim senior operations manager in Primary and Community Care, said: “We understand that syphilis is not something people necessarily think about.

“But getting tested for this and other sexually transmitted infections should be a routine part of looking after yourself and others.”

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