A disease that once thought to be a painful reminder of history is making a strong comeback! The disease, caused by the bacterium Treponema Pallidum and passed on through unprotected sex, has affected the famous through the ages (Al Capone and, reportedly, Hitler, to name just two). But syphilis is in no way confined to big names, nor is it a sexually transmitted infection (STI) of the past.
The 2016 Public Health England (PHE) syphilis report has shown that infection rates are on the up, with disproportionate rates in London. In 2015, the capital accounted for 56% of all cases in England, with a 22% increase in diagnoses in the year 2014-15. Since 2010 the number of cases of syphilis in Londoners has increased by 163%, with a 22% increase in the year from 2014 to 2015. The borough of Lambeth has the highest rates, closely followed by the City of London and Southwark. CONTINUE
