Tokyo syphilis cases top 1,000

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews

Syphilis has become a big public health issue in recent years, with 2018 seeing more than 6,000 cases, the highest number since 1970.

To date in 2019, the Japan National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) has reported 3894 cases, including 1,010 cases in Tokyo, more than 25 percent of the country’s total..

Tokyo reported in excess of 1,500 cases in all of 2018.

Osaka follows with 642 cases and Aichi with 208.

Syphilis is a sexually-transmitted disease (STD) that can cause long-term complications if not treated correctly. Symptoms of syphilis in adults include a painless sore that will go away without treatment followed by a non-itchy body rash. If left untreated syphilis can lead to damage through the body including neurological and cardiovascular complications. Syphilis also increases the risk of HIV infection and, for women, can cause problems during pregnancy and for the newborn.

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