Rise in syphilis among women ‘an urgent priority’

The rate of women diagnosed with syphilis remains much higher than a decade ago, according to new analysis published by the Kirby Institute on Tuesday.
 
It found 78% of the 5986 syphilis diagnoses in Australia in 2025 were among men, but the rate of the disease is increasing much faster in women, with a 167% rise over the past decade, the latest sexual health data show.
 
The trend is described as ‘an urgent priority’ by Dr Skye McGregor, a Kirby Institute epidemiologist who led the reporting.
 
‘While syphilis is entirely curable, untreated syphilis during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or infants being born with congenital syphilis, which is when the infection is transmitted to an unborn child,’ she said.
 
‘Congenital syphilis is an extremely serious condition for infants that can result in significant lifelong health impacts, and in the most severe cases can be fatal.’
 
Last year, syphilis was declared a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance by the Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd.
 
Authors of the report say the overall data shows ‘a mixed picture’ for sexually transmitted infections (STI) in Australia. 
 
Gonorrhoea diagnoses in Australia declined slightly last year, with 42,393 in 2025 – but for both that disease and syphilis infection rates remain more than 50% higher now than a decade ago.
 
With 94,184 cases recorded in 2025, chlamydia is still the most frequently diagnosed STI, but its rate has decreased markedly since a high of more than 110,000 cases in 2023.
 
There was also a more encouraging trend for HIV rates, which have decreased significantly to 753 diagnoses overall last year.
 
‘The decline we’ve seen in HIV diagnoses over the last decade shows Australia’s world-leading response is working,’ Dr McGregor said.
 
‘While HIV diagnoses increased modestly following a COVID-19-related decline associated with public health control measures, the longer-term trend remains.
 
‘However, accelerating this decline will require sustained and enhanced efforts.
 
‘It is important we focus our efforts and address the inequities revealed by the data, ensuring testing, treatment and prevention options are accessible and available to everyone who needs them.’
 
The data showed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were diagnosed with HIV at 1.9 times the rate of the overall population in 2025, an increase from 1.6 in 2016.
 
That rate was higher still for chlamydia (2.5 times the rate), gonorrhoea (four times), and syphilis (six times).
 
The gap was described as ‘deeply concerning’ by Robert Monaghan, Manager of the Yandamanjang First Nations Health Research Program at the Kirby Institute, who said in some areas the disparity is widening.
 
‘These are not simply statistics,’ he said. ‘They reflect ongoing inequities in access to culturally safe, trusted and appropriate sexual health services.
 
‘We know what works. We need sustained investment in services that are accessible to First Nations communities and designed with communities, rather than for communities.’
 
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chlamydia gonorrhoea sexually transmitted infections STIs syphilis