Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd AO, has declared syphilis a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance (CDINS) in Australia. Professor Kidd’s statement can be found on the DoHDA website.
As outlined in the statement, cases of infectious syphilis have been on the rise across Australia, resulting in tragic cases of congenital syphilis and infant deaths that might have been prevented.
In 2024, there were:
5,968 cases of infectious syphilis10 cases of congenital syphilis, resulting in 4 infant deaths
In 2025 as of 12 August, Australia has already recorded:
3,647 cases of infectious syphilis
11 cases of congenital syphilis, leading to 4 infant deaths.
Declaring a CDINS will bring together resources from across the country to coordinate a strong national response. The Australian Government will continue to work closely with the states and territories, and other key stakeholders, to coordinate a response and progress key actions in the latest National Syphilis Response Plan.
Syphilis is having an ongoing impact on public health. By raising awareness among Australians – including healthcare professionals – we can help ensure more people get tested and treated for syphilis, and stop the spread of the disease.
Syphilis is preventable, and is easy to treat if found early. Testing and treatment are simple and accessible. Congenital syphilis can be completely prevented through early detection and treatment of syphilis in pregnant people and their partners.
More information is available at:
If you have any questions about the syphilis CDINS, please reach out to syphilisresponse@health.gov.au