More than 10 infants in Manitoba have been treated for congenital syphilis in the last six months amid an outbreak infecting a rising number of heterosexual partners, said Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living Monday.

The ongoing outbreak of syphilis began in 2014, said the province, adding that while most of the congenital cases have been reported in the Northern and Winnipeg health regions, the risk is high province-wide.

“The increase in women is noteworthy, from 16 in 2014 to 168 in 2018, and this is of particular concern because historically when cases increase in women, cases of syphilis increase in newborns as well,” said Dr. Michael Isaac, acting chief provincial public health officer, noting the populations affected have also changed.

“Syphilis has moved from a population of men who have sex with men to men who have sex with women,” said Isaac.

Isaac said the number of infections on record is likely to rise as case investigations are completed.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that you can reduce the risk of getting via safer sex practices and it can be treated with antibiotics. Early detection and treatment for pregnant women can help prevent or lessen the severity of congenital infection. The province said it is often called the ‘great imitator’ because of a wide range of symptoms it can cause.

Isaac noted the infection occurs in three stages and the symptoms in each stage are different. He said it spreads by direct contact with a syphilis sore during vaginal, anal and oral sex.

Congenital syphilis occurs as a result of mothers passing the infection on during pregnancy, with risks that include miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, low birthweight and death shortly after birth. Infected babies that survive may experience deformities in bones, severe anemia, enlarged liver and spleen, jaundice, brain and nerve problems that include blindness or deafness, meningitis and rashes.

“We had our first congenital case in 2015, another in 2017, and then we noticed in late 2018 and early 2019, a large increase in cases of congenital syphilis – especially the last six weeks. So the risk level has changed and we wanted to make sure that providers and the public know about that,” Isaac said.

He said while more than 10 infants have been treated recently in Manitoba for congenital syphilis, some who did not show symptoms were treated as a precaution due to a mother’s infection and treatment.

He said a lack of prenatal care and substance use has factored into congenital cases they’ve seen, noting some of the moms involved had used intravenous drugs and methamphetamine.