Photo/Illutration Treponema pallidum, a bacterium that causes syphilis, shown by an electron microscope (Provided by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases)

The already record number of syphilis cases in Japan this year has continued to soar, reaching 10,141 on Oct. 23, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) said on Nov. 1.

The preliminary figure is the first to exceed 10,000 since 1999, when the current data-collecting method started.

By prefecture, Tokyo reported the most cases, at 2,880, followed by 1,366 in Osaka Prefecture and 573 in Aichi Prefecture, indicating that many cases hit urban areas.

An analysis of the 9,311 syphilis cases reported by Oct. 2 showed that 66 percent of the patients were men and 34 percent were women.

People in their 20s made up the largest age group, at 35 percent, followed by those in their 30s, at 22 percent, and those in their 40s, at 20 percent.

Syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum, a bacterium.

The bacterium can be transmitted through contact with an infected mucous membrane or skin, meaning that it can spread not only through sexual intercourse but also just kissing.

Syphilis causes small lumps to develop on the genitals or mouth in about a month. Although the lump naturally disappears, red rashes appear all over the body in one to three months, accompanied by fever and fatigue in some cases.

Without treatment, patients can develop gum-like tumors on the skin or bones three to 10 years after infection. Patients can also suffer from an aortic aneurysm, which is swelling of part of the aorta.

Katsumi Shigemura, an associate professor of urology at Kobe University and a director at the Japanese Society for Sexually Transmitted Infections, said the disease “is spreading at a faster rate than predicted.”

He also said it is difficult to determine if someone is infected by just looking for symptoms.

Shigemura recommends that people who think they may be infected take examinations at urology, dermatology or gynecology departments.

A blood test can determine if someone is infected, and the disease can be treated with antibacterial drugs.

Early detection is important.

Japan in January this year allowed the use of an injection drug to treat syphilis.

Doctors said that patients infected less than one year ago can be treated with one injection.

But patients who were infected more than a year ago need three shots, according to the doctors.

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