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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Eleven cases of syphilis are now confirmed in Yellowknife.

Territorially, the total number of cases of the sexually-transmitted infection (STI) has grown to 40, up nine cases from Oct. 31.

Wanda White, communicable disease specialist for the Department of Health and Social Services, said other jurisdictions follow the epicurve, a graph where the number of cases of a disease is plotted against an interval of time to describe a specific outbreak. White said it will be some time before there is a slowdown in this outbreak.

"You see a steady increase over a year or so and then gradually as people get the message and change their behaviours you see a decline," she said. "We have got to get the message out and people have to be careful about engaging in sexually activity without protection or in a risky environment where they might be having more than one sexual partner."

Nine of the cases in Yellowknife are reported as infectious and the other two as non-infectious.

Syphilis is spread through anal, oral and vaginal sex and can be passed through contact with skin sores and rashes. If left untreated it can cause blindness, deafness, paralysis and brain or heart disease.

The NWT has the highest gonorrhoea rate in the country at 10 times the national average. White said this isn't something new and lends to the current syphilis problem.

"We've known this for almost three years now about the gonorrhoea problem," she said. "It speaks to the fact people are engaging in sexual activity without protection. When you see this trend over a period of time it's just a matter of time before we see outbreaks like syphilis or HIV."

White said the department has been screening for HIV during the syphilis testing and haven't seen an increase in HIV, but she said it's something that could easily happen.

"We are very fortunate that HIV has not gotten into this mix of bad habits," she said. "We're not seeing an increase in that number and we're praying we don't see that kind of activity."

Aggressive public campaigning about the outbreak has been going on in communities across the NWT, raising awareness of the issue.

"The change in behaviours are slow," she said. "It's the same as smoking and eating healthy. People seem to think they are the exception to the rule and that's not a good way to go."

Congenital syphilis in pregnant mothers is also of concern. The condition can be present in utero and at birth. If untreated, it can cause miscarriages, premature births, stillbirths or the death of newborn babies. White said they are taking aggressive precautionary measures with pregnant women, testing three times during the pregnancy period so they can take quick measures if necessary.

"The incubation period is fairly long and it could be re-exposure to the disease. We're trying to be extra-cautious," White said.

"It would be devastating to lose a child like that."

Dr. Andre Corriveau, chief medical health officer for the NWT was travelling and unable to comment on the issue at press time.