Syphilis Prevalence Among Indigenous Australians: A Presentation

This presentation elaborates on the onset and prevalence of syphilis among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, highlighting that syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. The presentation notes the ongoing outbreak of syphilis infection among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly those aged 15 to 29 years in Northern Australia, since 2011. It emphasizes the high prevalence rates among indigenous people, which are five times higher than in other populations, stressing the need for increased awareness of transmission methods, including mother-to-embryo transfer, unprotected sexual contact, and exposure to compromised skin. The presentation suggests conducting seminars with healthcare professionals to educate the community on preventable strategies and promote regular screenings to detect high-risk individuals.

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Abstract presentation
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Abstract
The purpose of the presentation is to elaborate on the onset and prevalence of syphilis among
people belonging to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander group. Syphilis is a sexually
transmitted disease that is most commonly caused due to the bacterium Treponema pallidum.
The signs and symptoms of the disease have been found to vary according to four different
stages namely, primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary. An ongoing outbreak of Syphilis
infection among the young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has been found. The
infection usually occurs among people who are aged between 15 to 29 years reciting
particularly in Northern Australia (Department of Health, 2018). The outbreak was found first
during the year 2011 in Northern Queensland, which later on extended to Northern territory,
within 2 years and further more to the Kimberley region located in Western Australia, in the
following year of 2014 (Queensland Health, 2016). While the primary stage of the STD is
most infectious and comprises of exudate and blood release from the lesions, the late stage is
usually non-contagious. The 5 times high prevalence rates of syphilis among the indigenous
people in Australia calls for the need to increase their awareness on the different ways by
which the disease can get transmitted (Ward et al., 2016). Some of the most common risk
factors that might attribute to the onset of the STD include transfer during pregnancy from a
mother to the embryo, unprotected sexual contact, exposure to compromised skin or man-to-
man sexual intercourse (Liu et al., 2014). Conduction of a seminar with the help of a
healthcare professional on the different preventable strategies that will help the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islanders to reduce the chances of exposure to the spirochete is essential. It
will also make the indigenous people more aware of their sexual habits and opt for regular
screenings, which are a recommended strategy for detecting people at high risk.

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Keywords: syphilis, sexual, indigenous, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

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Bibliography
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Ward, J., Wand, H., Bryant, J., Delaney-Thiele, D., Worth, H., Pitts, M., ... & Kaldor, J. M.
(2016). Prevalence and correlates of a diagnosis of sexually transmitted infection
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