The location where the Tokyo Metropolitan Government offered free tests this March in response to the sharp increase of syphilis infections is seen in this provided photo.
TOKYO — Cases of syphilis in Japan reached record highs for two years straight, and the upward trend is continuing this year with no end in sight, according to the country’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID).
Preliminary NIID data shows the number of people infected with the sexually transmitted disease (STD) this year hit a total of 4,370 as of April 23. This figure greatly exceeds the 3,027 infections recorded during the same period in 2022.
Last year, an all-time high of 3,677 people were confirmed infected with syphilis in Tokyo, which has the highest number of cases in the country. Between 2017 and 2019, that figure reached the 1,700s, but declined slightly to 1,579 in 2020. However, the figure rose by more than 50% the following year, with 2,451 people infected.
Since the beginning of this year, the pace of infections hasn’t slowed. By the end of April, 1,255 people had been infected with the STD, 242 more than by the same point in 2022.
A chart on the Osaka prefectural infectious diseases surveillance center website shows a rise in the number of people infected with syphilis. The orange line shows the number of weekly cases recorded so far in 2023 compared to recent years.
Around three weeks from the start of the infection, symptoms such as lumps and sores appear on the regions of the body where the virus has taken hold, such as the genitals or mouth. The symptoms disappear within several weeks even without any treatment. However, leaving the infection untreated can result in abnormalities to blood vessels, the heart or the nervous system potentially appearing years or even decades later. Even after becoming infected, the immune system cannot be developed against the virus, so it is possible to become infected multiple times. This means early treatment such as with antibiotics is essential.
Why are syphilis cases on the rise? The majority of infections are passed through sexual contact, including even merely kissing. In Tokyo, where the higher proportion of young people is a factor, an official with the Tokyo Metropolitan Infectious Disease Surveillance Center said, “One of the major causes is thought to be an increase in opportunities for sexual encounters.”
Those infected with syphilis in Japan exceeded 10,000 for the first time in 2022. In the same official’s view, “It’s possible the number of cases will continue to rise from here,” and the official urges people to take precautions such as practicing the proper use of condoms to prevent infection and proactively getting tested for the virus.
(Japanese original by Yui Takahashi, Lifestyle, Science & Environment News Department)
Discovered on: 2023-05-12 00:00:00
Source: Syphilis upward trend continues across Japan after recent record numbers
