There is an outbreak of syphilis in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that is spread by any sexual contact, including oral sex. Its symptoms are often invisible, so people don’t even know they have it until they have a blood test.
Everyone is at risk – if you have sex with men, or women, or both.
Syphilis is a serious infection and can affect your heart or your brain. If you have syphilis while you are pregnant, it can affect your baby – up to 40% of babies with congenital syphilis will die.
Treatment is easy – penicillin injections cure syphilis. We need everyone to have a blood test for syphilis to stop the spread.
At Auckland Sexual Health we test for HIV as well as syphilis on the blood test.
If you have symptoms:
Phone 0800 739 432 to talk to a nurse.
