More people have been getting syphilis in Manitoba every year recently.
Prairie Mountain Health says in 2013, 59 people contracted the STI. In 2014, 118 had it. Last year, there were 205 cases. There have been 80 infections in just the first few months of 2016.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jasdeep Atwall says some of the biggest causes of the rise in syphilis is people not practicing safe sex, and anecdotally, online dating become more popular in recent years.
Dr. Atwall says, in any sexual relationship, it is important to be open and get tested.
"When you are exposed to syphilis, you may or may not have any symptoms associated with it, so if you do have a new partner, you should get to know your partner and their sexual history. You should also get regular testing done, especially if you're changing partners."
A couple of the more common symptoms of syphilis are developing rashes, or even a painless ulcer, which Dr. Atwall admits can be hard to detect.
While syphilis is dangerous for anyone who contracts it, he says it is especially dangerous for pregnant women.
"If the baby gets syphilis, there are long-term consequences related to getting a congenital-syphilis infection, which can cause a number of different issues, including neurocognitive issues."
Also playing a factor in the rise of syphilis infections is a decrease is Bicillin, a form of medication. Dr. Atwall says there is currently a manufacturing issue causing supplies to be down.
