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Health officials issued a new warning against syphilis, saying the sexually transmitted disease is spreading across Japan at the fastest pace in decades.

As of May 21, there were 5,453 cases reported this year, up 1,527 from the same period the previous year, according to data released on May 30 by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.

The figure is preliminary and there could be far more cases going undetected, experts warn.

“Syphilis infections increased even during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Hiroshige Mikamo, a professor specializing in infectious diseases at Aichi Medical University.

Mikamo said sex workers and their customers are among the patients.

“Dating apps and social media also helped spread infections,” he added.

In 1948, there were 220,000 reported syphilis patients in the country, but the number declined thanks to the availability of antibacterial drugs.

However, the figure shot upward around 2010 and hit 12,966 cases according to preliminary figures in 2022, the highest since comparable data became available in 1999.

Caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, the contagious infection is usually spread by sexual activity but can also be passed on by kissing.

Syphilis patients may develop sores on their genitals and mouths in a few weeks after infection, followed by rashes on their palms and other parts of the body.

The disease can cause serious health effects if left untreated.

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