Syphilis warning for boys

Syphilis warning for boys

The Victorian AIDS Council (VAC) is renewing calls for extra vigilance from the gay community when it comes to practicing safe-sex as syphilis remains at dangerous levels.

A report from the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research showed rates of infectious syphilis had doubled since 2004 -” mostly among gay men. Rates indicate that more than one person is being diagnosed a day.

VAC and Gay Men’s Health Centre health promotion manager Colin Batrouney said infection rates are lower in the heterosexual population because the comparative rates are not as high.

-œIt has to do with an infection which plants itself in a given population, and in this case in gay men.

Epidemiologically it can spread if it’s not checked, he told Southern Star.

Batrouney said the issue is -œnot as clear-cut as HIV because prevention is much more difficult due to the number of ways of possible infection.

-œHIV prevention is fairly simple in a sense that if you use condoms and water-based lube for anal intercourse, then you’ll be able to prevent HIV, he said.

-œI think people may believe, or are operating under the misapprehension, that if they use condoms for anal sex, then they’re going to be protected against all sorts of sexually transmitted infections, but that isn’t so, and it’s particularly not true with syphilis.

Syphilis can be transmitted in a number of different ways including during oral and penetrative sex.

Symptoms usually begin with one or more painless, but highly infectious, sores on the skin. If someone else comes into close contact with these sores, which happens during sexual contact, then they can also catch the condition.

Final stages of the disease can cause damage to internal organs, the brain, nerves and liver which can be serious enough to cause death if untreated.

In HIV-positive men, syphilis disease progression can also be accelerated.

-œSyphilis is really easily diagnosed with a blood test, so we’d be encouraging gay men who are sexually active to have a blood test or have a sexual health screen regularly with their doctor, Batrouney said.

The VAC recommends sexually active gay men be tested every three months, including a full sexual health screen.

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