Nunavut health officials say syphilis is on the rise

This image shows the primary stage of a syphilis sore on the head of a penis. (PHOTO COURTESY OF CDC)

Reported cases of syphilis in Nunavut between 2007 and 2016. With 51 cases reported so far this year, health officials are warning sexually active Nunavummiut to get tested. (STATISTICS COURTESY OF THE GN)

Health officials say the sexually-transmitted infection syphilis, once isolated to Nunavut’s Baffin region, has seen a territory-wide outbreak this year.

And the Kivalliq region has been hardest hit, with 34 cases so far in 2016.

Syphilis was not commonly seen in Nunavut until 2012, when cases began appearing in the Baffin region.

Transmission of the STI peaked in Baffin in 2014 at with 93 cases, and dropped to 38 cases in 2015, the same year the health department launched this awareness campaign.

But now health officials have seen an outbreak in both the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot regions, Nunavut’s department of health said this week.

Kivalliq didn’t see a case of syphilis until 2014, but that number jumped to 22 in 2015. In the first few months of 2016, the region has tracked 34 cases of the STI.

There have been six cases in the Kitikmeot region so far this year.

Health officials encourage sexually active Nunavummiut to get tested if they think they might have contracted the infection.

Early symptoms of syphilis can include a painless bump or sore around the genitals or mouth, or a rash anywhere on the body.

Occasionally, those infected with syphilis show no symptoms at all, although the STI can still be passed through vaginal, anal or oral sex.

If left untreated, the sexually-transmitted infection can have serious complications — it can cause blindness, brain damage, heart damage and even death.

But syphilis can be prevented, by using condoms and dental dams during sexual intercourse. Condoms are available free of charge at all of Nunavut’s health centres.

Nunavummiut should contact their health care providers for information on testing and treatment.