You may have noticed quite a lot of advertisements from the WA AIDS Council about syphilis over the past 18 months. There is a reason for that – syphilis rates in Perth among guys who have sex with guys have been going up and up and up and… you get the picture!

So, is this anything to worry about? Well, firstly you would have to know if you are at risk. Since syphilis can be passed on through giving or receiving head jobs without a condom, and the norm amongst most guys is to not use condoms for oral sex, we can pretty much assume any guy who has sex with guys is at risk of syphilis. Other things that pass on syphilis include anal sex without a condom (top or bottom) and rimming without a dental dam (giving or receiving).

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Will you know if you have syphilis? Most of the guys who have been testing positive to syphilis had no idea that they had it. Some of the symptoms of syphilis may not show up or be noticed. The only way to be sure is to get a blood test. If you have noticed a painless ulcer-like sore on your penis, balls, mouth, or arse or a painless rash on your torso, palms of hands, or soles of feet – these are symptoms of syphilis.

What’s the big deal if you get syphilis? After all, it can be treated and cured easily in the early stages with an injection of penicillin. However, if left for long periods of time (one year or more), treatment can be difficult and a cure impossible. Additionally, syphilis can cause damage to internal body organs such as the eyes, heart and brain, and if left untreated, can lead to death, just like it did in the old days.

So boys… do you do something about it and have regular tests so that you can be treated and cured, or do you just think that it can’t happen to you and let the opportunity to find out pass you by? The choice is up to you.

Testing guidelines recommend that the more partners you have, the more often you test. 1-3 partners a year means a yearly test, 3-8 partners a year calls for a test every six months, and 8-10 or more partners a year warrants a test every 3 months. So if it’s been a while since your last test, or you’ve had some new partners recently, this article is hopefully getting through to you!

Syphilis tests are available at the WA AIDS Council, RPH, Fremantle Hospital, FPWA, or with a GP. If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment contact the WA AIDS Council on 9482 0000.

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Ben Bradstreet, WA AIDS Council Gay Men’s Educator