Syphilis cases on the rise
Syphilis cases on the rise
17 October 2025
Western Australians are being urged to take simple steps to protect their sexual health following a rise in syphilis cases across the State.
Syphilis is a serious sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause long-term health problems if left untreated. It often shows no symptoms, meaning many people may be unaware they are infected and can unknowingly pass it on.
This can lead to devastating health consequences, especially for pregnant people and their unborn babies.
WA is seeing a concerning increase in syphilis infections:
- Syphilis notifications increased 32-fold from 26 cases in 2004-05 to a high of 823 cases in 2021-22.
- While numbers decreased to 653 in 2023-24, they rose again to 680 in 2024-25.
- In 2025 syphilis caused two stillbirths and one baby to be born with syphilis infection.
In response, a new WA Health campaign has launched to raise awareness of syphilis and encourage regular sexual health checks.
The campaign is calling on sexually active Western Australians, especially those aged 16 to 49, to make STI screening a regular part of their health routine. It particularly focuses on young people, pregnant people, and Aboriginal communities, where infection rates have been higher.
The message is simple: Use condoms. Get tested. These 2 steps can protect your health and help prevent the spread of syphilis in our communities.
During the campaign, free online syphilis testing is available at https://www.getthefacts.health.wa.gov.au/online-sti-testing (no Medicare card required).
To learn more, visit healthysexual.com.au.