Urgent warning for residents in the Northern Territory as cases of sexually transmitted infection explode

Medical experts are warning residents in the Northern Territory to get tested for syphilis following an explosion in cases of the potentially deadly infection. 

The NT has recorded more than 183 cases of syphilis so far this year, following back-to-back near-record months since an outbreak began in 2013.  

Consistently high case numbers prompted the territory’s top medical officer to establish a dedicated response team, the syphilis Incident Management Team (IMT) in February.

Syphilis can be particularly devastating for pregnant women, leading to miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, low birth weight and congenital syphilis. 

Australian Medical Association NT president Dr John Zorbas acknowledged the numbers were high, but suggested better testing could be contributing to the spike. 

‘Sometimes a large increase in case numbers is a good thing,’ he told NT News. 

‘That means we’re doing more testing, we’re finding these cases and we’re actually getting those cases treated.’

Of the 183 cases identified in the NT from January 1 to June 22, 93 per cent of cases were successfully treated, a government spokesperson told the publication. 

The Northern Territory has recorded 183 cases of syphilis so far this year. Common symptoms include sores, rash and skin lesions (stock)

Syphilis is a sexually-transmissible infection (STI) usually caused by having vaginal, oral or anal sex with an infected person, through pregnancy and, in rare cases, through skin-to-skin contact. 

While it is easy to cure if found early, it can cause serious illness, disability and even death if left untreated. 

The IMT advised pregnant women to test five times across the course of a pregnancy – at the outset, at 28 weeks, at 36 weeks, at birth and six weeks after birth.

It also recommended testing for all people aged 15 years and older presenting to any health service including primary health care and emergency departments. 

Common symptoms include sores or ulcers in the genital areas, anus, cervix or mouth, rash, skin lesions, swollen lymph glands, fever, patchy hair loss, muscle and joint aches, headaches, tiredness and warty lumps. 

Not all patients will present with symptoms, however, meaning regular testing is crucial to ensure the disease does not cause long-term damage. 

Syphilis can spread to the nervous system, known as neurosyphilis, which can lead to headaches, altered behaviour, difficulty coordinating muscle movements, paralysis, numbness and even dementia. 

It can also spread to the eye, known as ocular syphilis, which can cause vision loss, blurred vision, eye pain, eye redness and even permanent blindness. 

Not all patients will present with symptoms, meaning regular testing is crucial (stock)

Syphilis was almost entirely eradicated in Australia by the early 2000s but cases have exploded following an outbreak in north-west Queensland in 2011. 

Since then, the disease has spread nationwide with outbreaks currently active in Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia. 

Case numbers across the country increased 400 per cent between 2011 and 2023, with a disproportionate impact on Indigenous Australian communities. 

The NT has been hit hardest by the outbreak, with its per capita rate more than five times higher than any other jurisdiction at its peak in 2018. 

To avoid contracting syphilis, the Department of Health recommends people should get tested regularly and avoid sexual activity while unwell. 

It also recommends using condoms with condom-safe lubricants during vaginal and anal sex and dental dams during oral sex.  

You should see your doctor or visit a family planning clinic or sexual health clinic if you are concerned you or anyone you have had sexual contact with has syphilis.