Management of sexual contacts of patients with early syphilis

Early syphilis is infectious to sexual contactsOng, 2023. Undertake contact tracing for patients with early syphilis. Use the sexual history and records of serological tests as guides, but generally, for patients withOng, 2023:

  • early primary syphilis, contact partners from the past 3 months plus duration of symptoms or 3 months from the last negative test
  • early secondary syphilis, contact partners from the past 6 months plus duration of symptoms or 6 months from the last negative test
  • early latent syphilis, contact partners from the past 12 months or 12 months from the most recent negative test.

Perform serological testing of sexual contacts and then presumptively treat them with:

benzathine benzylpenicillin 2.4 million units intramuscularly1, as a single dose. benzathine benzylpenicillin benzathine benzylpenicillin benzathine benzylpenicillin

Benzathine benzylpenicillin is long acting and the drug of choice for treatment of syphilis. Do not confuse benzathine benzylpenicillin with benzylpenicillin, which is short acting.

See also STI Contact tracing.

1 The ventrogluteal site is preferred for administration of intramuscular benzathine benzylpenicillin because of reduced pain and risk of nerve injury. For instructions on intramuscular injection at the ventrogluteal site, see Instructions for intramuscular injection at the ventrogluteal site.Return