The director of public health is urging residents to get tested for syphilis. A syphilis outbreak in the NWT is growing at an alarming rate that is consistently and significantly higher than the national average.
Syphilis is a treatable infection that is usually spread through unprotected oral, genital, or anal sex with an infected person. The infection can also be passed from mother to baby during pregnancy. The first sign of infection is usually a painless sore on the genitals, anus or inside the mouth that usually goes away and is easy to ignore. If left untreated, syphilis can cause serious health problems, or even death.
Not all infected people will have symptoms. The only way to know for sure if you have syphilis is to get tested.
If you are sexually active, we recommend that you:
- use condom protection
- limit and know your sexual partners
- get tested for syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections every time you have a new sexual partner. If you are not in a monogamous relationship, you should get tested more often.
If you are pregnant, you should be tested for syphilis at least 3 times: during the first trimester, at 28-30 weeks and around the time of delivery. If you are thinking about becoming pregnant, it is highly recommended that you first get tested for syphilis.
Call your local public health clinic or community health center to book an appointment.
Visit www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/syphilis for more information.
For media requests, please contact:
Jeremy Bird
Manager, Communications
Department of Health and Social Services
Government of the Northwest Territories
Jeremy_bird@gov.nt.ca
(867) 767-9052 ext. 49034