去年卑诗省检验出371宗梅毒感染病例，低陆平原感染率更上升至30年来最高，梅毒病例有80%集中在温哥华沿岸卫生局(VCH)辖属地区，卑诗疾病控制中心(BCCDC)性病传染问题专家昨日强烈建议，凡有频繁性交的同性恋及双性恋男子，每三个月应接受血液筛检查是否有梅毒，以便尽早接受抗生素治疗。

　　梅毒主要是经由性交传播的高度传染疾病，不管透过口交、阴道性交或肛交，只要接触到受病毒感染的区域，即有机会中招。

梅毒病人部分带爱滋

　　VCH去年被检出的病毒个案，有一半还在无症状的感染初期阶段，此外，感染梅毒的病人，也会增加爱滋病病毒(HIV)感染机会。根据统计，60%温哥华沿岸卫生局的梅毒病人，同时也是爱滋病毒带菌者。

　　卑诗疾病控制中心性传染病/HIV部门医生Rich Lester说：「很多人对梅毒感染存在误解，例如他们相信如果只进行口交，即不会被感染，以为口交即是一种安全的性交，但事实并非如此」。他强调，安全的性交是指每次均使用保险套。

　　他补充，梅毒难以预防是因为早期梅毒病人并无症状，又或即使出现症状，但病人并不知道已染病毒，于是透过不安全的性交传播病毒。

　　同性恋双性恋男子宜每季验血

　　VCH医官Réka Gustafson则建议，属于梅毒高危险群人士，包括同性恋男子或双性恋男子，均必须每隔三个月即进行血液检查，以确定是否已感染病毒。

　　梅毒的症状包括皮肤上有像虫咬一样的溃疡、手掌或脚底有红疹、发烧、淋巴腺肿起、或是体重减轻。如果未及时治疗，梅毒病人有可能导致盲眼、听力丧失及神经系统出现毛病，严重情况也会死亡。如果是怀孕的妇女感染梅毒，有可能将病毒传染给胎儿，造成死胎，早产或是畸型。

　　VCH护士教育人员Geoff Ford指出，病人可做梅毒检查的地方很多，家庭医生的诊所、社区卫生诊所、流动检查站等均可以提供检查。有关较近的检查地点，可上网至smartsexresource.com查询。

# Infectious syphilis rates in Vancouver at epidemic proportions: BCCDC

Syphilis rates among men who have sex with men are at "their highest rates in 30 years in the Lower Mainland," according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

In a statement today, the BCCDC urged sexually active gay and bisexual men to get regular testing for the disease every three months:

"Syphilis rates are at their highest in 30 years in the Lower Mainland. In 2012, 371 cases were reported in BC and 80 per cent of those were diagnosed in Vancouver Coastal Health," says Dr. Réka Gustafson, medical health officer with VCH. "We're encouraging men who have sex with men to become more aware about syphilis and to incorporate regular testing into their health care routine."

Syphilis is a highly contagious disease spread primarily by sexual activity—whether it's oral, vaginal or anal sex. Just being in close contact with an infected person's genitals, mouth or rectum is enough to expose you to infection.

In 2012, half of all diagnosed cases in VCH were picked up through blood testing in the early, asymptomatic stage of the disease. Syphilis also increases the risk of getting HIV; in fact, there are high rates of syphilis among people who are HIV positive. In VCH, 60 per cent of all syphilis cases are also HIV positive.

According to Dr. Rich Lester, medical head of the BCCDC's Sexually Transmitted Infections/HIV division, these statistics make it that much more urgent for people to get tested regularly and to become more knowledgeable about safe sex.

"A lot of people believe that just because they performed oral sex on their partner they’re practicing 'safe sex.' But syphilis spreads easily through any form of sexual contact,” he says. "On top of that, syphilis may have no symptoms in the early stages and whatever symptoms do appear later on are often mistaken for other diseases."

Common symptoms of syphilis include sores resembling bug bites, rashes on the palms and soles, fever, swollen lymph glands and weight loss. If left untreated, syphilis can lead to permanent blindness, hearing loss, deep bone pain and neurological problems, all of which can happen early or late in the course of infection. Severe cases of the disease can even be fatal. Pregnant women can also pass syphilis to an unborn child resulting in stillbirth, pre-term birth and abnormalities in the baby.

Geoff Ford, a nurse educator with VCH’s STOP HIV Outreach Team, says regular syphilis testing doesn’t have to be onerous. "Whether it's at your doctor's office, community health clinic, mobile testing clinic or even clinics available in local bath houses, there are a lot of convenient options available," he says. "Catching the disease early and treating it with antibiotics is far easier than the consequences of syphilis when it's too late."

VCH and BCCDC recommend that men who are sexually active with other men get tested every three to six months, and visit your doctor if you have sores, bumps, a rash, blisters or warts on or around your genitals or anal area. Also, practice safe sex by always using a condom. To locate the nearest testing clinic, access the clinic finder at smartsexresource.com.