Canada: Quebec Medical Authorities Troubled by Tripling of Syphilis Cases Last Year

A trebling of syphilis cases between 2003 and 2004 has Quebec health officials concerned. Outside of Montreal, clinics and hospitals reported 112 syphilis cases. The area reported four syphilis cases in 2001, 11 cases in 2002 and 39 cases in 2003. In 2004, there were 127 cases in Montreal -- eight more than in 2003 -- representing the highest number of syphilis cases in seven years, according to city health authorities. About 95 percent of those infected were gay men over age 30. "The growth is smaller than in the past," said Dr. Gilles Lambert, medical adviser for Montreal's public health department. "It tripled each year since 2000 and appears to have since stabilized," he said. So far, however, 2005 figures suggest a decrease.

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