Syphilis is often thought of as a disease from the historic literature, but in August last year, it was declared a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance by Australia’s Chief Medical Officer. Case numbers have grown year on year since it became a notifiable disease in 2004, peaking at around six and a half thousand in 2023. 

Syphilis is sometimes described as ‘the great imitator’ because it can have so many different presentations. And it can hide away for years before revealing itself in one system of the body or other. In this podcast we’ll go over the neurologic, ophthalmic and nephrotic symptoms that can eventuate, and also some worrying examples of congenital transmission seen today. Today’s podcast will expand your library of differential diagnoses and give you confidence to go down the pathway of testing, treatment and contact tracing. It has been disseminated with assistance from ASHM.

Guests
Clinical Professor Louise Owen FRACGP FAChSHM MBBS(Hons) (Statewide Sexual Health Service in Tasmania, Director; University of Tasmania)
Dr Janet Towns FRACP FRACGP AChSHM PhD (Melbourne Sexual Health Centre; Monash University)
Dr Nele Legge FRACP PhD (Liverpool Hospital)

Production
Produced by Mic Cavazzini DPhil. Music licenced from Epidemic Sound includes ‘A Forest Melody’, ‘Time Traveller’ by Tellsonic, ‘Reconstruct’ by Amaranth Cove and ‘Beat Street’ by VV Campos. Music courtesy of FreeMusicArchive includes ‘Namaste’ by Jason Shaw. Historic poster courtesy of the US Library of Congress Archive.

Editorial feedback kindly provided by members of the Doctors Aidan Tan, Courtney Dowd, Marion Leighton, Lauren Gomes, Rahul Barmanray and Rachel Murdoch. Dissemination of this podcast was supported by ASHM and campaign to Stop Syphilis.

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