Syphilis declared a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance
Australia's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd AO, has declared syphilis as a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance (CDINS) in Australia.
Syphilis notifications remain high across the country and congenital syphilis remains a significant health threat, with some cases leading to infant death. First Nations peoples continue to be disproportionately impacted by congenital syphilis, with notification rates 7 times higher than non-Indigenous Australians.
In 2025 alone, as of 6 August, there have been 3,546 cases of infectious syphilis, including 11 cases of congenital syphilis with 4 leading to infant death.
What are the next steps for healthcare workers?
Syphilis is preventable, and easy to treat if found early. However, syphilis can often show no symptoms, highlighting the need for proactive approaches from both patients and health workers.
Most states and territories now recommend syphilis testing at least 3 times during pregnancy, aligning with the latest Living Evidence for Australian Pregnancy & Postnatal Care (LEAPP) recommendations.
ASHM recommends healthcare workers stay up to date with the latest guidelines and recommendations for testing and treating infectious syphilis.
The Nurse Navigator service is available to support primary health clinicians
For advice, assistance and support, primary health clinicians across Queensland can access the services of the Queensland Syphilis Surveillance Service (QSSS). QSSSS-South now has a nurse navigator that can support clinicians in the Brisbane South PHN region with cases of syphilis infection that need assistance to overcome barriers to engagement in care.
Contact QSSS and the nurse navigator on 1800 032 238 or via QLD-Syphilis-Surveillance-Service@health.qld.gov.au.
More helpful information for healthcare workers
View the syphilis HealthPathway: Syphilis - Community HealthPathways Brisbane South (SpotOnHealth)
View ASHM’s syphilis decision making tool
Access Queensland Health’s clinical guidelines for syphilis in pregnancy