Syphilis notifications have been classified Syphilis into (primary syphilis + ‘infectious’ secondary syphilis + early latent syphilis [less than two years duration]), (more than two years or unknown duration) and ‘congenital’ syphilis. Infectious syphilis Trends over time The number of infectious syphilis notifications in 2016 (n=339) was double that observed in 2015 (n=166) and more than three-times higher than the 2011 to 2015 five-year average of 108 notifications per year (Figure 4.1), reflecting a syphilis outbreak among Aboriginal people across northern Australia (see section 4.4) and a continuing increase in syphilis notifications among MSM8. Figure . Number and ASR of infectious syphilis notifications, WA, 2007 to 2016 Distribution by age and sex In 2016, the highest number of infectious syphilis notifications occurred in people aged 25 to 29 years while the highest notification rate occurred in people aged 35 to 39 years. Among those aged 15 years or older, there were more notifications among males (Figure 4.2). Figure . Number of infectious syphilis notifications by sex and overall age-specific rate, WA, 2016 Notifications by Aboriginality In 2016, 85% of infectious syphilis notifications occurred in non-Aboriginal people and 15% in Aboriginal people. The Aboriginal to non-Aboriginal rate ratio peaked in 2008 (17.9:1) then decreased to a ten-year low of 3.1:1 in 2013 before increasing again to 9.8:1 in 2015 then
Syphilis Syphilis notifications have been classified into ‘infectious’ (primary syphilis + secondary syphilis + early latent syphilis [less than two years duration]), (more than two years or unknown duration) and ‘congenital’ syphilis. Infectious syphilis Trends over time The number of infectious syphilis notifications in 2016 (n=339) was double that observed in 2015 (n=166) and more than three-times higher than the 2011 to 2015 five-year average of 108 notifications per year (Figure 4.1), reflecting a syphilis outbreak among Aboriginal people across northern Australia (see section 4.4) and a continuing increase in syphilis notifications among MSM8. Figure . Number and ASR of infectious syphilis notifications, WA, 2007 to 2016 Distribution by age and sex In 2016, the highest number of infectious syphilis notifications occurred in people aged 25 to 29 years while the highest notification rate occurred in people aged 35 to 39 years. Among those aged 15 years or older, there were more notifications among males (Figure 4.2). Figure . Number of infectious syphilis notifications by sex and overall age-specific rate, WA, 2016 Notifications by Aboriginality In 2016, 85% of infectious syphilis notifications occurred in non-Aboriginal people and 15% in Aboriginal people. The Aboriginal to non-Aboriginal rate ratio peaked in 2008 (17.9:1) then decreased to a ten-year low of 3.1:1 in 2013 before increasing again to 9.8:1 in 2015 then
stibbv_2016_annual_report.docx