Ireland is experiencing an outbreak of syphilis which requires "urgent action", the country's health authorities have said.
The disease has been under investigation since June 2021 and, prior to the start of the pandemic, cases were rising, reports the Irish Mirror.
And the Health Service Executive (HSE) has said that, after a small decrease in 2020 - coinciding with the first wave of Covid - infections are now on the surge again.
The authority added that the majority of cases are reported in males - but there is also an increase in female cases and in heterosexual transmission.
A statement said: "There is a potentially large undiagnosed reservoir of syphilis infection in Ireland due in part to the impact of Covid-19.
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"Syphilis is a very treatable sexually transmitted infection (STI) and early recognition and treatment are critical to preventing avoidable morbidity for those infected and onward transmission to others.
"If an infection remains untreated, it can cause serious health problems to the heart, brain, eyes and nervous system.
"Primary, secondary and early latent syphilis are sexually infectious and are collectively termed EIS.
"Syphilis can also be passed from mother to foetus in utero, known as congenital syphilis."
In 2019, there were 745 confirmed cases of EIS reported, data shows - a 54 per cent increase from the previous year (484 cases).
The number of notifications decreased in April 2020 (first wave of COVID-19), but following this decrease, they increased throughout 2020, with a total of 562 cases reported in 2020.
While the data for 2021 is incomplete, indications signify that EIS notifications are increasing and exceeding those seen in the previous year.
There have been 242 cases reported between January 1 and April 30, 2021.
While the majority of cases remain in males (91 per cent in 2021), the number of cases in females has nearly doubled, from 4.5 per cent of confirmed cases in 2018 to 9 per cent of confirmed cases.
In terms of the symptoms, EIS can present patients with a genital ulcer (primary chancre), rash, or eye problems (in particular symptoms and signs of uveitis).
Primary syphilis is characterised by the appearance of a chancre which occurs 10 days to three months after exposure.
The symptoms of secondary syphilis occur a few weeks after the disappearance of the chancre.
Common symptoms of secondary syphilis are:
- A non-itchy rash can occur anywhere on the body (often on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet)
- Flu-like symptoms; tiredness, headaches, joint pains, fever
- Hair loss
- Lymphadenopathy
- Painful eyes or blurring of vision
The HSE has said: "All individuals with newly diagnosed syphilis should be referred to Genitourinary or Infectious Diseases services for assessment, treatment and follow up."
