From the Victorian Department of Health.
Sex Transm Dis. 2023 Aug 1;50(8):479-484. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001825. Epub 2023 May 3.
Syphilis notifications in Victoria, Australia, have been increasing over the past decade, with an increase in infectious syphilis (syphilis of less than 2 years in duration) cases in females of reproductive age and an associated reemergence of congenital syphilis (CS). Before 2017, there had been 2 CS cases in the preceding 26 years. This study describes the epidemiology of infectious syphilis among females of reproductive age and CS in Victoria.
Routine surveillance data provided by mandatory Victorian syphilis case notifications were extracted and grouped into a descriptive analysis of infectious syphilis and CS incidence data from 2010 to 2020.
In 2020, infectious syphilis notifications in Victoria were approximately 5 times more than 2010 (n = 289 in 2010 to n = 1440 in 2020), with a more than 7-fold rise among females (n = 25 in 2010 to n = 186 in 2020). Females made up 29% (n = 60 of 209) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander notifications occurring between 2010 and 2020. Between 2017 and 2020, 67% of notifications in females (n = 456 of 678) were diagnosed in low-caseload clinics, at least 13% (n = 87 of 678) of all female notifications were known to be pregnant at diagnosis, and there were 9 CS notifications.
Cases of infectious syphilis in females of reproductive age and CS are on the rise in Victoria, necessitating sustained public health action. Increasing awareness among individuals and clinicians, and health system strengthening, particularly targeting primary care where most females are diagnosed before pregnancy, are required. Treating infections before or promptly during pregnancy and undertaking partner notification and treatment to reduce risk of reinfection are critical to reducing CS cases.
在过去的十年中，澳大利亚维多利亚州的梅毒报告病例一直在增加，其中处于生育年龄的女性的传染性梅毒（病程不到 2 年的梅毒）病例有所增加，先天性梅毒（CS）也再次出现。在 2017 年之前，在过去的 26 年中，仅出现过 2 例 CS 病例。本研究描述了维多利亚州处于生育年龄的女性中传染性梅毒和 CS 的流行病学情况。
从强制性维多利亚梅毒病例报告中提取常规监测数据，并将其分为 2010 年至 2020 年传染性梅毒和 CS 发病率数据的描述性分析。
2020 年，维多利亚州的传染性梅毒报告病例约为 2010 年的 5 倍（2010 年为 289 例，2020 年为 1440 例），其中女性病例增加了 7 倍以上（2010 年为 25 例，2020 年为 186 例）。2010 年至 2020 年期间，土著和托雷斯海峡岛民报告的病例中，女性占 29%（209 例中的 60 例）。2017 年至 2020 年期间，67%（678 例中的 456 例）的女性病例在低病例量诊所诊断出，至少 13%（678 例中的 87 例）的所有女性病例在诊断时已知怀孕，且有 9 例 CS 报告病例。
维多利亚州处于生育年龄的女性和 CS 的传染性梅毒病例正在增加，这需要持续采取公共卫生行动。需要提高个人和临床医生的认识，并加强卫生系统，特别是针对大多数女性在怀孕前被诊断出疾病的初级保健。在怀孕前或怀孕后及时治疗感染，并进行性伴侣通知和治疗，以降低再次感染的风险，这对于减少 CS 病例至关重要。
