Syphilis cases may hit a record high in Tokyo, Japan. Taipei’s Shu-tien Clinic Urologist Chou Ku (周固) reported this Thursday regarding how to avoid transmission and whether or not tourists traveling to Japan should avoid public hot springs.
The annual number of confirmed syphilis cases in Tokyo has been on the rise since 2021, with a total of 3,701 last year. As of early September, 2,460 cases of syphilis have been confirmed this year, 70% of which are men, 30% of which are women.
Chou reported that syphilis is typically transmitted through sexual contact and contaminated drug injection equipment. Symptoms of syphilis include painless, itchy ulcers on genitals. Chou added that once infected with syphilis, patients are likely to be simultaneously infected with other sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Comprehensive blood and urine tests in addition to various STD screenings are recommended to confirm the diagnosis and develop a treatment plan.
Regarding concerns over whether or not travelers should avoid hot springs, Chou says the chance of infection through bathing is low, and he has not seen any such cases during his time at the clinic.