Syphilis: For health professionals 

On this page

• Screening and diagnosis
• Risk assessments
• Surveillance
• National case definitions
• Provincial and territorial resources for syphilis management

Screening and diagnosis

Refer to the syphilis guide for information on the screening and diagnosis of syphilis.

Syphilis guide: Key information and resources

Risk assessments

The Public Health Agency of Canada assesses risks to public health to:

• identify emerging threats
• describe, anticipate or estimate public health risks
• develop recommended actions
• explore future outcomes of risk

The assessment supports planning, responses and decision making to improve health outcomes for people living in Canada or Canadians abroad.

Risk assessments for public health professionals

Surveillance

Refer to STBBI surveillance for the latest information on surveillance resources and publications for syphilis.

Sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections surveillance resources and publications

National case definitions

Access the case definitions that help support public health activities.

• National case definition: Congenital syphilis
• National case definition: Syphilis

Provincial and territorial resources for syphilis management

The resources listed here do not supersede:

• provincial or territorial legislative, regulatory, policy and practice requirements
• any professional guidelines that govern the practice of health professionals in their respective jurisdictions, whose recommendations may differ due to the local epidemiology or context

Alberta

• Syphilis Management Guidelines (PDF, Government of Alberta)
• Infectious syphilis management tool (PDF, Alberta Health Services)
• Congenital Syphilis Management Guidelines (PDF, Government of Alberta)

British Columbia

• Algorithm: Syphilis screening in pregnancy (PDF, Perinatal Services British Columbia)
• Non-certified syphilis decision support tool (PDF, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control)

Manitoba

• Syphilis management tool (PDF, Manitoba Public Health)
• Syphilis management protocol (PDF, Manitoba Public Health)

New Brunswick

• Clinician's guide to syphilis diagnosis and treatment (PDF, Government of New Brunswick)

Newfoundland and Labrador

• Syphilis serology and interpretation (Newfoundland and Labrador Public Health Laboratory)
• Health and community services syphilis management guidelines (PDF, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador)

Northwest Territories

• Syphilis management guidelines (PDF, Government of Northwest Territories)

Nova Scotia

• Communicable diseases manual: Syphilis (PDF, Government of Nova Scotia)
• Syphilis testing algorithm (PDF, Nova Scotia Health Authority and IWK Health Centre)

Nunavut

• Syphilis quick reference guide (PDF, Nunavut Department of Health)
• Communicable disease manual (PDF, Nunavut Department of Health)

Ontario

• Syphilis testing video (Ontario HIV Treatment Network)
• Syphilis staging video (Ontario HIV Treatment Network)
• Syphilis follow up video (Ontario HIV Treatment Network)
• Syphilis treatment video (Ontario HIV Treatment Network)
• Syphilis serology and interpretation (Public Health Ontario)
• Infectious disease protocol appendix 1: Case definitions and disease-specific information on syphilis (PDF, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care)

Prince Edward Island

• Guidelines for prenatal laboratory screening and testing (PDF, Health PEI)

Quebec

• Webinar on syphilis (French only, Institut national d'excellence en santé et services sociaux)
• Optimal use guide: Syphilis (French only, PDF, Institut national d'excellence en santé et services sociaux)
• Sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (French only, Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux)
• Guide québécois de dépistage : Infections transmissibles sexuellement et par le sang (French only, PDF, Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux)

Saskatchewan

• Syphilis Staging and Management Tool (PDF, Saskatchewan Health Authority)
• Communicable disease control manual: Syphilis (PDF, Saskatchewan Ministry of Health)
• Syphilis Management and Care in Acute Care for Birthing Parent and Newborn (PDF, Saskatchewan Health Authority)

Yukon

• Syphilis quick reference guide (PDF, Government of Yukon)
• Syphilis primer and management guide (PDF, Yukon Communicable Disease Control)

Related links

Patients resources

• Sexual health services (Action Canada)
• Sexually transmitted infections: Syphilis (CATIE)
• Sexual health and harm reduction services (CATIE)
• Services and supports (Native Women's Association of Canada)

Health professional guidance

• Webinar on Syphilis in Canada: Where we are, how we got here and what we can do about it (CATIE)
• Self-paced course on sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections: Barriers to screening (University of British Columbia)
• Reducing perinatal infection risk in newborns of mothers who received inadequate prenatal care (Canadian Paediatric Society)
• Courses on providing safer, more inclusive care for sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (Canadian Public Health Association)