A record number of syphilis cases was registered locally in the past two years. Head of the Genitourinary (GU) Clinic Philip Carabot tells Stephanie Fsadni that the current figures compare to those registered during World War II.
A highly contagious sexually transmitted disease that spread like wildfire in the 1940s is making a resurgence across the globe, and Malta is not immune.
What is extremely worrying and frustrating is that, year in, year out, we see a repetition of the same figures; nothing has changed
A record number of syphilis cases was registered locally in the past two years, although fewer cases were recorded last year than in 2011, according to Philip Carabot, the head of the Genitourinary (GU) Clinic at Mater Dei Hospital.
“The figures compare to those registered during World War II,” says Dr Carabot.
Back then, troops posted in the four corners of the world were blamed for this outbreak that caused widespread terror until the release of penicillin.
But finding the source of the venereal disease nowadays is proving elusive, destroying the chances of controlling it.
“What is even more alarming than the figures is that in most cases, the source of the infection is practically impossible to find. This means that the pool of the disease is much larger than estimated,” says Dr Carabot.
Syphilis can lie dormant or go undetected for years. Symptoms may vary from sores and rashes in the early stages to paralysis, numbness, gradual blindness and dementia in later stages. It can ultimately be life-threatening as it can damage internal organs.
Syphilis in pregnant mothers causes stillbirth, prematurity, neonatal disease and infections.
Dr Carabot attributes the increasing rates of this disease and other more common sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as chlamydia and HPV, to a high percentage of casual sex and lackof condom use.
The GU Clinic was established in 2000 to provide diagnosis and treatment of STIs and other genital conditions, and counselling and testing for HIV.
Since then, annual GU reports have continued to show the same sexual health trends and highlight the same problem – the lack of proper sex education.
“What is extremely worrying and frustrating is that, year in, year out, we see a repetition of the same figures; nothing has changed over the years,” exclaims Dr Carabot. “This means that whatever we’re doing to address this issue is not enough.
“We have to attack the root of the problem if we want to have any impact, and sex education is the first tentative step to achieve that.”
Dr Carabot refers to the National Sexual Health Policy, the final document of which was launched in November 2011 after more than 10 years.
Among other measures, it calls for greater emphasis on sexual education and parents’ role in it, and the need for more research into sexual behaviour.
He says the only tangible effect of this strategy so far was the relocation of the GU Clinic from Boffa Hospital to Mater Dei Hospital.
“This was well and good because the staff is happier, the clinic is more attractive to patients and we can better cater for the increasing demand,” says Dr Carabot. “But this doesn’t solve the core problem.
“We need a serious in-depth analysis of the situation that would involve all stakeholders, first and foremost the Education and Health Ministries.”
One has to look into some basic issues, such as whether the current sex education delivered at schools is adequate; whether teachers have enough training or time to deliver such information; or if they are allowed to give proper sex education.
“It’s about time we took sex education seriously,” he says.
“The more time passes, the greater the disservice we are doing to each successive generation.”