There was a "marked" increase in the number of cases of syphilis in 2021, new figures show.
There were 7,506 diagnoses of infectious syphilis reported in 2021, an 8.4% increase compared to 2020, shows data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on sexually transmitted infections.
But overall cases of STIs are still below pre-pandemic levels.
In 2021, there were 311,604 diagnoses of new STIs in England, a similar number compared to 2020, and a decrease of 33.2% since 2019, according to the UKHSA.
Syphilis is a bacterial infection which is usually caught from having sex with someone who is infected.
Image:
Getty Images/iStockphoto)It cannot be spread from an infected person by using the same toilet, clothing, cutlery, or bathroom.
Pregnant women with syphilis can pass the infection onto their unborn baby, which could cause a risk of a stillbirth or miscarriage.
The NHS warns that anyone who is sexually active is at potential risk of catching the bacterial infection.
It is also possible to catch syphilis from sharing needles with someone who is infected when injecting drugs into yourself.
Image:
Getty Images/iStockphoto)If left untreated for syphilis for years, it can cause serious health problems such as spreading to the brain or other parts of the body.
Health officials urge anyone who suspects they have syphilis to get tested as soon as possible as it cannot clear on its own without treatment.
It can be treated and cleared from a short cause of antibiotics but people can still catch it more than once even if they’ve had treatment for it before.
