Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living reported that the number of infants infected with syphilis is increasing in Winnipeg and Manitoba as a whole.
As it became known, 10 babies have been diagnosed with this terrible disease in the last six months. The epidemic began in 2014, but right now its growth is becoming very noticeable.
“The increase in women is noteworthy, from 16 in 2014 to 168 in 2018, and this is of particular concern because historically when cases increase in women, cases of syphilis increase in newborns as well,” said Dr. Michael Isaac.
“Syphilis has moved from a population of men who have sex with men to men who have sex with women,” Isaac added.
This disease is transmitted by sexual intercourse and there are various ways to prevent infection. In addition, if to start treatment in time, then the likelihood that the disease will be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her child will be much less.
If the disease is transmitted to the baby, then the likelihood of miscarriage, the birth of a dead child or the death of a child after giving birth increases. If the child has survived, then it may have very serious health problems.
“We had our first congenital case in 2015, another in 2017, and then we noticed in late 2018 and early 2019, a large increase in cases of congenital syphilis – especially the last six weeks. So the risk level has changed and we wanted to make sure that providers and the public know about that,” Isaac also said.
The doctor also suggests that the epidemic is directly related to the meth crisis.
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