Manitoba’s Acting Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Michael Isaac is warning about an increase in the number of syphilis case being diagnosed in Manitoba.

Over the past several years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of cases seen in the province from 118 in 2014 to 350 last year. According to Dr. Isaac, more than 10 infants have been born with congenital syphilis in the last six months. He blames the lack of prenatal care and substance use as major factors in those cases.

Since 2014 there has been a 950% increase in the number of women with syphilis in the province. According to data from Manitoba Health there were 16 cases diagnosed in females in 2014 and 168 cases in 2018.

Congenital syphilis is passed on to a child during pregnancy or at birth from an infected mother and can lead to birth defects or death.

Tests are available to determine if someone has syphilis. Syphilis and congenital syphilis can be treated with antibiotics.

The province says that the sooner a woman is tested during pregnancy the less likely an unborn child will be severely affected.