— Government indifferent to rise in the disease
ISLAMABAD: Over 90 cases of syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI), were reported during the last one-and-half-month in the federal capital, and it seems the disease is on the rise in the capital, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum), which is treatable in the early stages, but it can ultimately lead to disability, neurological disorders, and death.
Despite being such a dangerous disease neither the federal nor the provincial governments have ever given any serious thought to deal with it, which is quite astonishing.
According to the data obtained from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), a total of 80 healthy blood donors had been tested positive for syphilis since July. However, Muhammad Ayub Shaikh, secretary of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination, shared the fresh details according to which the tally has reached 90.
A senior official at PIMS, requesting anonymity, told Pakistan Today that the syphilis test has been started in the hospital during the last few months; earlier, there were no such tests.
He said that due to high prevalence of syphilis in blood donors, the Safe Blood Transfusion Authority made syphilis screening test, before transfusion of blood, mandatory along with HIV, malaria, and hepatitis B and C tests.
“At present, only ICT method is adopted instead of ELISA method, and a donor who is tested positive for syphilis is kept in dark about the situation, instead authorities only disposed of the donated blood,” he added.
He said that there are no any follow up mechanisms at present, as the collected data is only used for research purposes.
The data of obtained from the Polyclinic hospital showed that 50 blood donors were tested positive during the last year.
A senior doctor at Policlinic, Dr Faridullah said the data clearly showed that the situation is quite grave; but these tests only detected that syphilis’ presence in the blood, which could be at an early stage so it might not be very serious.
However, he said that there was a need for further tests to identify the actual situation along with emphasising on the instant treatment.
A senior doctor working with World Health Organization (WHO) told Pakistan Today that neither WHO nor the government did any work in this regard despite the serious situation, why is why no exact figure at any level is available yet.
He said that the disease is curable and it could only be treated with penicillin at the earlier stage; however, long-term exposure to the disease can lead to life-threatening consequences.
During the primary, secondary, or late stages, patients typically receive an intramuscular injection of Benzathine penicillin G. He said that the treatment strategy will depend on the symptoms and when the person was exposed.
Tertiary syphilis will require multiple injections in weekly intervals. Neurosyphilis requires intravenous penicillin every 4 hours for 2 weeks to remove the bacteremia from the central nervous system (CNS). However, he said that treating the infection will prevent further damage to the body, but it cannot undo any damage that has already occurred.
The doctor said that women can pass syphilis to their unborn child during pregnancy, with potentially disfiguring or fatal consequences. The first sign is a painless sore on the genitals, rectum, mouth, or skin surface. Some people do not notice the sore because it doesn’t hurt.
The official said that sexually active people are at constant risk of contracting syphilis, especially those who indulge in unprotected sex.
He said that symptoms can disappear within a few weeks but the disease can return several times over a longer period.
Dr Fartash Sarwar, the head of Urologist Department at National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM), said the statistics showed that situation is quite serious; therefore, the follow up tests are needed to detect syphilis’s actual stage and to cure the ailment at an earlier stage.
He suggested that a penal of Urologists and other experts should be notified and syphilis positive cases should be instantly referred to them for further tests.
PIMS Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Akram, however, said that situation is not that grave as only few syphilis patients are reported every month; however, when he was told about the actual situation at the PIMS blood bank, he said that if blood donor tested positive for syphilis it does not necessarily entail a syphilis patient, as further tests are required to ascertain it.
When contacted, the health secretary, in his text message reply, said, “PIMS has started screening for syphilis in blood donors over the last few months and has found 90 cases. Even though, it’s a high number, more analysis is required to ascertain the exact situation.
The health ministry is considering that HIV programme and OST measures were needed to be put in place for high risk populations,” he concluded.
In 2015, about 45.4 million people were infected with syphilis, with 6 million new cases. During 2015, it caused about 107,000 deaths, down from 202,000 in 1990.