Pulse ·

Six Queensland babies died of congenital syphilis in three years

By Dr HB Lo, FACRRM 3 min read
Verdict Yes — worth knowing about

Six neonatal deaths from congenital syphilis in Queensland over three years, with 55 pregnant women diagnosed with an STI in the state in 2026. Congenital syphilis is almost entirely preventable with first-trimester serological screening and penicillin — the tools exist and have for decades.

The antenatal syphilis test is included in the standard first-trimester screen in Australia. Gaps in access and uptake — particularly in regional communities — mean infections are being missed.

If you are pregnant, confirm with your GP that syphilis serology was in your antenatal bloods. If overdue for a sexual health review, this is a reason to book one.

Six infants died of congenital syphilis in Queensland over the past three years. A further 55 pregnant women in the state were diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in 2026. These are not statistics from a failed state or a resource-depleted health system. They are from one of the wealthiest states in Australia, in 2026, in a condition that has been almost entirely preventable since penicillin became widely available.

The Queensland data, reported by ABC News, surfaces what clinicians working in sexual health and maternal health in Australia have been watching for years: a syphilis outbreak that began in northern Australia and that, for a long time, the mainstream health system treated as a problem of remote communities and particular demographics. It is neither of those things any more, and it never should have been framed that way.

What happened — and why it matters

Congenital syphilis is the transmission of Treponema pallidum from an infected pregnant person to the baby during pregnancy. It is not a rare fringe infection. It is one of the leading infectious causes of neonatal death in settings where antenatal screening breaks down.

The bacterium crosses the placenta. At any gestational age. The outcomes — miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, congenital disability, and neonatal death — are severe. They are also almost entirely preventable. Syphilis is exquisitely treatable with penicillin, and treatment during pregnancy is highly effective at preventing transmission to the baby if given before the third trimester.

The standard first-trimester antenatal screen in Australia includes syphilis serology. The test exists. The treatment exists. The system has the tools. What the Queensland data shows is that the tools are not consistently reaching the people who need them.

Both sides of this

The easy narrative here is: this happens to particular people in particular places. Indigenous communities, remote Queensland, late-presenting pregnancies. There is truth in some of that — first nations women have been disproportionately affected by the current outbreak, and the failure of the system to respond adequately to that community-level signal is a documented structural harm.

But the outbreak has now moved well beyond those epidemiological parameters. Syphilis notifications in Australia have been rising for over a decade and are now recorded across all demographics, age groups, and states. In 2024 the TGA and AHPRA issued national guidance to GPs on expanded opportunistic syphilis screening. The outbreak is a generalised problem being managed with a targeted-community response — and the mismatch is costing lives.

The other part of this is harder to name: fragmented antenatal care. A first-trimester screen at 8–10 weeks with a GP requires access to a bulk-billing GP with available appointments, a patient who knows to come in early, and a system that follows up results and communicates them clearly. Each of those junctions is where the gap opens.

What this means for you this week

If you are pregnant, ask your GP explicitly whether syphilis serology was included in your first-trimester blood tests. It should be. If your pregnancy care started late, or if you changed care providers at any point, it is worth confirming it was ordered and reviewed.

If you are not pregnant but have not had a sexual health check in the past 12 months and have been sexually active, syphilis is now a relevant item to include. It is a blood test. Your GP can order it in a standard check.

If you have been told “everything is fine” at a routine check that predates the current outbreak guidance — that check may not have included syphilis. The generalised outbreak changes what routine looks like.

This is preventable. The Queensland data describes a system that had the tools and did not reliably deploy them. Knowing that is the first step toward asking better questions of the system you are navigating.

Verdict: yes — worth knowing about.

Sources cited

  1. Six babies have died from congenital syphilis in Queensland over the past three years — ABC News, 30 September 2026. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/qld-syphilis-outbreak-six-babies-die-three-years/107203228

Frequently asked questions

  • What is congenital syphilis and how does it happen?

    Congenital syphilis occurs when the bacterium Treponema pallidum crosses the placenta from an infected pregnant person to the developing baby. This can happen at any point in pregnancy. Infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, or severe illness and death in a newborn. The tragedy is that it is almost entirely preventable: syphilis is treatable with penicillin, and early detection through antenatal blood testing means treatment can be given before harm occurs.

  • Is syphilis testing part of routine antenatal care?

    Yes. Syphilis serology (a blood test for Treponema pallidum antibodies) is included in the standard first-trimester antenatal screen, which also covers blood group, full blood count, rubella immunity, hepatitis B, and HIV. However, the test being on the panel does not guarantee it is always ordered, explained, or followed up — particularly in fragmented care, late-presenting pregnancies, or where access to a GP at 8–10 weeks is limited. The Queensland data suggests the gaps are real and serious.

  • Should I get tested even if I am not pregnant?

    If you have been sexually active and have not had a recent sexual health check, syphilis is now a relevant consideration in Australia — notifications have been rising nationally for over a decade and the outbreak is no longer limited to any single demographic. A sexual health screen through your GP or sexual health clinic is a straightforward blood test and is a reasonable part of preventive health care. Your GP can advise based on your history and local epidemiology.