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By Nicole Reis

Syphilis Alert

Accessing free condoms in Meadow Lake ‘challenging’ amidst syphilis outbreak

Mar 4, 2020 | 2:37 PM

A syphilis outbreak declared in May 2019 seems to be persisting, according to health experts.

Dr. Mandiangu Nsungu, Medical Health Officer, with Saskatchewan Health Authority told meadowlakeNOW the proportion of women with syphilis has been increasing, with a spotlight on pregnant women and women of childbearing age.

“Whenever you have that situation, we’re concerned about how syphilis affects a pregnant woman and once that occurs, there is a possibility of transmitting the infection to an unborn child,” he said.

Men had higher rates of infection when the outbreak was declared, but now Nsungu said cases the rate of infection among women is almost equal to men.

Syphilis symptoms present themselves in stages and are characterized by an open sore or ulcer at the mouth or genitals. Nsungu said sores can heal on their own without treatment however the disease can move toward the secondary stage if untreated.

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Secondary stage symptoms include a rash or other lesions in the genital area. Symptoms can go away without treatment and conditions can worsen.

“The disease can go into a latent phase where no symptoms present themselves though the disease will persist which can affect major organs such as the heart years later, or the central nervous system including the brain which can occur much sooner,” Nsungu said.

Pregnant woman carrying untreated syphilis may experience problems during delivery resulting in miscarriage or still-birth. If the disease goes untreated and the baby is born alive, the child is at risk of developing birth defects either immediately or later in life.

A newborn affected with syphilis could present symptoms such as a runny nose, eye problems, a rash or desquamation (skin peeling). The disease could have an effect on the baby’s brain.

Later on in life, deafness, or problems with organs and bones could develop. A child’s behaviour could also be affected by headaches, lack of coordination, confusion or even paralysis.

Nsungu said it is critical for women to undergo a prenatal consultation which includes syphilis testing as standard Canadian medical practice.

“Since we are in an outbreak area, one test in not enough. We are testing pregnant women in the first trimester,” he said. “Even if the results are negative, we test again in the third trimester and we repeat the same test at delivery.”

If treatment is done early enough on pregnant mothers, the infant will not be affected. If syphilis is detected or contracted late in pregnancy, it becomes difficult to prevent an infection in utero.

Some suggested precautions include reducing the amount of sexual partners and using condoms for safe sex.

Access to condoms in Meadow Lake

While condom use is advised, access to them can be challenging in Meadow Lake.

Maryann Murray, a secretary and prenatal outreach worker, said while public health used to deliver her supplies she could provide to clients, that service stopped.

“I had to go and get them myself actually. Before, public health used to drop them off, but when I went to go and pick them up, they questioned me and they thought I wanted them for myself,” she said. “They didn’t know who I was.”

Natanis Davidsen, the executive director with Meadow Lake Outreach Ministries, said she encountered a similar issue. Her staff has not received a condom drop-off from public health since last summer.

“We put them in in the bathroom and people would just take them, no questions asked when we had them,” Davidsen said.

The Door of Hope food bank does not have condoms freely available and could not confirm if there was ever low-income access to condoms.

Bobbi Bremner, a coordinator with the Meadow Lake Primary Health Care Clinic, said condoms are available by request.

“We have a public health clinic and they give them out then. We have some but they’re not freely available. People basically have to come in and ask for them, then we’ll give them,” Bremner said. “We don’t set them on the counter for people to take. They have to request them, and then we give them education about them first before they get them for free.”

Brent Stewart, director of Primary Health Care Northwest issued a statement to meadowlakeNOW:

“Free condoms are available at the Public Health and Meadow Lake Primary Health Care (MLPHC) Clinic on a request basis. There is no stipulation that the client must provide personal information or take any education, though we do look for opportunities to discuss safer sex practices, as led by the client and explain condoms do have expiry dates. This can also include a discussion about the importance of knowing their sexual health status and getting tested for sexually transmitted illnesses. The client needs only present to Public Health reception or to MLPHC Clinic and ask, and they will be discreetly provided as many condoms as they need within reason. Condoms are also offered to clients by public health nurses during Sexual Health clinics.”

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722