Syphilis is on the rise

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that can spread easily through anal, vaginal and oral sex, and through sharing of sex toys. It can also pass from mother to baby.

Syphilis can be prevented and is easy to treat and cure. Left untreated, it can seriously damage your heart, brain and bones, and can cause nerve problems. It may even lead to death. 

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Ten days to three months after infection, a painless sore (known as a ‘chancre’) may appear at the site of infection – usually on the penis, vagina, in the mouth, or around the rectum.

A few weeks after the sore disappears you may get a rash on your body, often on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet. You might feel ill, with a fever or headache. You might notice growths near the anus or vagina. Both the growths and rash are infectious.

Even if symptoms go away, without treatment someone can pass on syphilis for up to two years.

You can have syphilis without knowing, so regular check-ups are a good idea, especially if you’ve had sex without a condom or are planning to stop using condoms. Syphilis can affect anyone regardless of gender.

Using a condom cuts the risk of infection. 

Avoid sharing sex toys – if you do, wash them and cover them with a condom.

DoxyPEP is a new tool to help prevent syphilis, which involves taking 200mg of the antibiotic doxycycline no more than 72 hours after sex.

Clinical guidelines on the use of doxyPEP in the UK recommend that doxyPEP is made available for those at increased risk of syphilis, including gay and bisexual men and trans women. DoxyPEP should be considered on a case by case basis for people assigned female at birth, including cisgender women and trans men who are at an increased risk of syphilis.

Other types of contraception, like the contraceptive pill, offer no protection from syphilis or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

All STI tests, including for syphilis, are free on the NHS.

A test can involve:

• a blood test
• a swab test, where a swab (small cotton bud) is used to take a sample of fluid from any sores
• a physical examination, where a doctor or nurse will also ask to check your genitals or other parts of your body for sores.

Testing is free and confidential.

• Ayr
• Cumnock
• Irvine
• Kilmarnock

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If you don’t live in one of the areas above, search NHS 24 for your local service.