SHA declares syphilis, HIV outbreak in Battlefords area

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has declared outbreaks of syphilis and HIV in the Battlefords and Lloydminster areas.

The declaration comes after confirmed cases of both HIV and syphilis have skyrocketed this year when compared to the previous five-year averages in the region.

Dr. Mandiangu Nsungu, the lead medical health officer for the area, said the numbers are highly concerning.

He said an average of four HIV cases are confirmed each year. Since January, 15 cases have already been confirmed in the area.

Syphilis numbers are six times the five-year average. Usually there are seven or fewer cases per year. Already this year there have been 42 confirmed cases.

“In the past, those seven cases or less of syphilis that we used to have, most of them were not infectious,” Nsungu said. “What we’re seeing now is that most of those cases from January until now are infectious cases.

“The question I ask myself is: ‘Why are we seeing the increase now?’ ”

Further concerning to Nsungu is the threat that pregnant women are under, especially when it comes to syphilis.

Nsungu said the symptoms for syphilis can often be misleading, as the disease can evolve over the course of many years without showing any complications.

“Complications can occur even decades later after the infection has been acquired,” Nsungu said. “We know that syphilis can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to the unborn baby, and these (cases) can end up in a stillbirth, for example.”

If the unborn baby can survive the pregnancy, Nsungu said the baby could be born with syphilis, known as congenital syphilis.

He is urging all pregnant women to be tested for syphilis and HIV. For those who are at higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections, Nsungu recommends to be tested later in pregnancy even if the first test results were negative.

Avoiding chances of infection

Short of practising abstinence, the SHA is recommending the use of condoms and to avoid having multiple sexual partners as ways of lowering chances of infection.

Intravenous drug use is also under the scrutiny of the SHA. Injecting drugs and sharing needles is seen as the leading cause of spreading HIV infection in the province.

“It would make only sense in an outbreak like this that intravenous drug use will also appear as one of the most important factors,” Nsungu said.

AIDS Saskatoon, a community-based organization, has applied to open a safe drug injection site in the Pleasant Hill neighbourhood.

Nsungu said statistics elsewhere show that safe infection sites have been “effective in preventing fatal cases of HIV transmission.”