Syphilis cases among Australian women rise sharply over decade
15 Sep 2026
Analysis from the Kirby Institute found that syphilis diagnoses among women increased by 167% over the past 10 years.
There were 5,986 syphilis diagnoses recorded across Australia in 2025. Men accounted for 78% of these cases, but the increase among women has been much faster over the decade.
Dr Skye McGregor, a Kirby Institute epidemiologist who led the report, described the trend among women as an urgent priority.
She highlighted the risks of untreated syphilis during pregnancy, which can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or congenital syphilis in newborns.
Congenital syphilis can cause serious and lasting health problems for babies and, in severe cases, can be fatal.
Syphilis was declared a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance last year by Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd.
The latest figures present a mixed picture for sexually transmitted infections across Australia.
Gonorrhoea diagnoses fell slightly to 42,393 cases in 2025. However, rates of both gonorrhoea and syphilis remain more than 50% higher than they were 10 years ago.
Chlamydia remained the most commonly diagnosed STI, with 94,184 cases recorded in 2025. This was lower than the more than 110,000 cases reported in 2023.
HIV also showed a longer-term decline, with 753 diagnoses recorded in 2025.
Dr McGregor said the fall in HIV diagnoses reflected the impact of Australia's response to the infection, but continued work was needed to reduce cases further.
The data also showed ongoing differences in STI and HIV rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
In 2025, the HIV diagnosis rate was 1.9 times that of the overall Australian population, compared with 1.6 times in 2016.
The differences were greater for other STIs, with diagnosis rates 2.5 times higher for chlamydia, four times higher for gonorrhoea and six times higher for syphilis.
Robert Monaghan, Manager of the Yandamanjang First Nations Health Research Program at the Kirby Institute, described these differences as deeply concerning.
He said the figures highlighted unequal access to sexual health services that are culturally safe, trusted and appropriate for First Nations communities.
Syphilis cases among Australian women rise sharply over decade
Source: Kirby Institute