Definition

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the Treponema pallidum bacterium. Left untreated, it can cause serious complications in the blood vessels, heart, brain, liver and bones. It can even be fatal. 

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Did you know?

  • The incidence of syphilis has gone up dramatically in the last ten years (284 cases reported in 2006 compared to 3 in 1998).
  • Thirty times more people are becoming infected than five years ago.
  • Nine out of ten infected individuals are gay or bisexual men.
  • The Faubourgs, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, the Plateau Mont-Royal, Pointe Saint-Charles, Métro and Saint-Louis du Parc CLSCs report infection rates of 20 per 100,000 inhabitants.
  • The drugs used to treat syphilis are free-of-charge for infected people and their sex partners.

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Are you a health professional?

If you are interested in learning more, please see the data sheet on syphilis on the website of Montréal's Director of Public Health. 

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Target population

In Montréal, syphilis mainly affects men who have sex with men.

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Practical advice

What can you do to prevent problems or protect yourself?

To find out what you need to do to protect yourself and prevent STIs, visit the STI page.

Whom should you contact to get help?

Send an e-mail to a public health professional for answers to your questions about syphilis. 

For a list of help lines, look under the "Whom should you contact?" section on our STI page.

Where can you find additional, credible information? 

Information on syphilis:
La syphilis c'est quoi? (French only)
Frequently Asked Questions About Syphilis
Slide Gallery: clinical signs of syphilis

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