Straight people, watch out. Syphilis is coming for you.
According to statistics from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), cases of syphilis among heterosexual people are higher than they’ve been since 1948. More than 9,500 people were diagnosed with the infection last year, and there was a higher ‘proportional rise’ among heterosexuals than their gay or bi peers.
Syphilis is a treatable sexually transmitted infection that likely won’t do you much damage if you catch it early enough. Despite that, in the long term it can cause some serious problems to reproductive health, including infertility.
Syphilis is more common in men than women, so it is mostly transmitted either to men themselves or people who have sex with them. In short, lesbians, count yourselves lucky. You’re statistically the least likely group to contract the infection.
There was a 22 percent rise in straight men and women with the disease since 2022, whereas there was only a 7 percent rise among queer-identifying men.
Of course, the only way to 100 percent make sure you don’t come into contact with syphilis, or any other STI for that matter, is to never have sex. Plenty of people seem to be taking this route, particularly in the capital, but that method isn’t going to work for everyone.
The second best way is to make sure to always use protection like condoms and dental dams, even if you’re unable to get yourself or anyone else pregnant. On top of that, make sure to get yourself tested regularly, especially after sleeping with a new partner. Syphilis often goes under the radar, as the government report explains, ‘the early symptoms... can be mild, may come and go and can be easily mistaken as signs of other health conditions.’
Dr Hamish Mohammed, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: ‘STIs can have a major impact on your health regardless of your age, gender or sexual orientation. The best way to reduce your risk of an infection is to use a condom consistently and correctly with new or casual partners.
‘The NHS provides free, confidential STI testing to detect any potential infections and prevent you passing them on to others.’
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