NL Health Services is emphasizing the use of condoms to help prevent the spread of syphilis, saying safe sex practices alone won’t prevent the bacterial illness from being passed from one person to another.
NL Health Services is concerned about an outbreak of syphilis in the Labrador-Grenfell region. Nineteen cases have been confirmed to date, with several possible more under investigation.
The outbreak reflects similar trends in other jurisdictions. The Medical Examiner of Health with NL Health Services, Dr. Kevin Lam, says access to timely testing and treatment is believed to be a major factor.
He says the first stage of a syphilis infection usually starts as a painless ulcer, which can disappear on its own in about five weeks. “So people oftentimes will not notice that they have an infection, and in the meantime, they can spread it on and pass it on to others.
Lam says while condom use is one preventative measure, testing is another important component to prevent spread.