Why is syphilis surging in Canada?
Posted February 28, 2024 5:23 am.
Last Updated February 28, 2024 5:28 am.
In today’s The Big Story podcast, whatever we’ve been taught, it seems like the lessons aren’t sticking these days. And the most obvious result is the dramatic resurgence of a sexually transmitted infection that was once rare in this country: Syphilis. It’s not the only STI with rates on the rise, but it is the most troubling — especially cases of congenital syphilis, in which a pregnant mother transfers the infection to her unborn baby.
Dr. Vanessa Allen is a medical microbiologist and infectious diseases physician at Sinai Health, and an associate professor at the University of Toronto. “The biggest risks are that it predisposes the pregnancy to either stillbirth, neonatal death, or premature birth,” said Dr. Allen. “If the baby is born with syphilis, the impacts of that are also very, very dramatic.”
Why have syphilis and other STIs returned with a vengeance? Is it a matter of education and prevention? Or is it a symptom of a larger problem?
You can subscribe to The Big Story podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify. You can also find it at thebigstorypodcast.ca.
