Canadian Press file photo

By Abby Zieverink

Syphilis Spike

Rising syphilis cases estimated higher than statistics show: Northreach Society

Aug 17, 2021 | 7:00 AM

Rates of syphilis infections have been rising in Alberta over the past year, and the Northreach Society in Grande Prairie suggests there could be more individuals infected than statistics show.

Northreach Society community-based health and STBBI program manager Lindsey Loset says there were 2,509 syphilis infections reported in Alberta, with the North Zone accounting for 603 of those.

Alberta Health Services adds that provincial total for 2020 is more than 10 times higher than what was recorded in 2014, adding that includes increases of nearly 200 per cent in 2018 and 47 per cent in 2019. AHS says those rates have not been seen in Alberta since 1948.

With the COVID-19 pandemic shutting many services down, Loset says they believe there could be more people who have just not been diagnosed with Syphilis.

“We actually estimate it to be a little bit higher than the numbers that were tracked in the last year because we don’t think a lot of people got tested last year when they should have.”

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Loset says the stigma that still surrounds STI’s and sexual health and wellness play a role in the increasing Syphilis cases.

“People don’t necessarily get tested, or they don’t want to get tested, or they don’t want people to know they’re getting tested.”

Although they are unsure of the exact reason for the rise in Syphilis infections, Loset says Syphilis can transfer through a variety of ways, including sharing injection drug equipment or having unprotected sex.

“If people are engaging in more risky sex, so maybe engaging in sex work or are engaging in sex while intoxicated, so using drugs, that could be another thing that makes people a little more unable to use safer sex supplies like condoms.”

Loset says although Syphilis is curable with antibiotic injections, if it is not treated early it can spread and infect other parts of your body.

“Syphilis can start to wear down special parts of your body like your vision, mental health, cardiovascular system… Late stages of Syphilis can be very, very dangerous.”

In efforts to stop the rise in cases of Syphilis, Loset says it is a notifiable infection; meaning anyone diagnosed will receive a call from a public health nurse.

“The nurse will ask who your previous sexual partners were to try and track them down to them get tested too,” says Loset.

“It’s trying to stop the spread and from carrying the infection on to someone else.”

Drop-in STI testing is available in Grande Prairie on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Northreach Society office, along with STI testing appointments during the week.