What do nude beaches, cross training, beards and craft beer have in common? They’re all trending in Vancouver, just like syphilis rates unfortunately.

VCH Public Health is launching a unique awareness campaign to encourage men (the majority of infections are in men) in Vancouver to get tested for syphilis. The campaign uses trending topics in social media to bring attention to the rising rates. It includes posters and a webpage.

“In 2012, syphilis rates in the Lower Mainland were at their highest in 30 years. And last year, they were even higher. In 2013, 561 new cases were reported in B.C. and 86 per cent of those were diagnosed in Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH),” says Dr. Réka Gustafson, medical health officer with VCH. “We’re encouraging men who have sex with men to become more aware about syphilis, practice safer sex, and to incorporate regular testing into their health care.”

“We’re grateful to have partnerships with agencies that work directly with gay and bisexual men,” said Chris Buchner, regional director of prevention, VCH. “With help from organizations including Qmunity, YouthCO, Health Initiative for Men (HIM), Positive Living B.C., family doctors, and the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, we’re hoping to engage people with a respectful and relevant message, and encourage them to test for syphilis regularly.”

Public Health launched a similar awareness campaign last year which helped increase testing rates by 20 per cent in 2013 compared to the year before. More than 48,000 men were tested in Vancouver in 2013.

You can help spread the word

• Talk to your clients/patients about getting tested regularly.

• Print the posters (1 and 2) and post them in public areas at work.

• Promote testing on your social media channels. (Use #syphistrending on Twitter)

How is syphilis spread?

Syphilis is a highly contagious disease spread primarily by sexual activity—whether it’s oral, vaginal or anal sex. Just being in close contact with an infected person’s genitals, mouth or rectum is enough to expose a person to infection.

Syphilis symptoms

Common early symptoms of syphilis include painless ulcers or sores resembling bug bites on genitalia, rashes on the palms and soles, fever, swollen lymph glands and weight loss.

Syphilis can be treated – if caught early enough

If left untreated, these symptoms disappear and syphilis then enters an asymptomatic or latent stage which can eventually lead to permanent blindness, hearing loss, deep bone pain and neurological problems. Severe cases of the disease can be fatal.

Recommend a test to your clients/patients 

Men who are sexually active with other men should get tested for syphilis and HIV every three to six months, and visit their doctor if they have sores, bumps, a rash, blisters or warts on or around their genitals or anal area. Also, practice safe sex by always using a condom. To locate the nearest testing clinic, access the clinic finder at www.smartsexresource.com.