A gay Auckland GP says there's definitely been an upsurge of syphilis amongst gay and bisexual men, but admits it can be difficult to identify and diagnose the sexually-transmitted infection. Doctor Mike Pohl says a large number of gay people visit his health centre and he's seen several cases of syphilis. "I occasionally see people with rashes or the ulcer, but with most guys I see, rather than presenting with something dramatic, exotic and interesting, it's got into their bodies and they haven't even noticed," he explains. Pohl says syphilis still wouldn't be a common phenomenon for most GPs. "Rather than patients coming in with acute symptoms, with most cases, you'd find it accidentally on a blood test that you're doing routinely as part of another screen." Syphilis is easily cured with antibiotics, but if untreated can develop over time into a serious and fatal condition. As with HIV, consistent use of condoms for anal sex will protect against the infection. However, syphilis can also be passed on through oral sex. Recent outbreaks of the highly infectious STI in Auckland and Wellington have led the NZ AIDS Foundation to promote the importance of getting tested to men who have sex with men. Pohl says anyone going for their regular check-up can request their GP test them for syphilis. "It's a relatively simple blood test to do," he confirms. More information about syphilis is available on the NZAF's Gay Men's Health website at the link below. Ref: GayNZ.com (m)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Thursday, 27th September 2007 - 5:28pm