The radical change in public health policy by the government of Javier Milei begins to show alarming data. Syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is highly transmissible in its early stages and has serious potential for progression if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner, increased by 20% last year. According to data published in National Epidemiological Bulletin No. 782, syphilis continues an incessant upward trend in Argentina.
The epidemiological surveillance that our country has been carrying out since the adoption of the first HIV law in 1994 shows that in the first 44 weeks of 2025 36,702 cases of syphilis20.5% more than the same period in 2024, with increases in all regions of the country and a preliminary national rate of 91.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The epidemiological profile is clearly concentrated in people between the ages of 15 and 39 (76% of cases), with rates being highest in the groups from 20 to 24 and from 25 to 29 yearsand at significantly higher rates among young women. Data decrease in older age groups, but a change in pattern is observed after age 50, with rates being higher in men, suggesting different profiles of exposure, access to the healthcare system and detection depending on age and gender.
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Córdoba cites cases of syphilis: expert warns of failed state prevention policies
If it is possible to treat a course of syphilis in Argentina, it is possible to reflect the progression of this health problem. In the historical line recorded by the nation’s Ministry of Health, a decline is documented between the years 2007 and 2010, and a sustained increase began in 2011 was accentuated from 2015.
The pandemic caused a temporary decline, which was due to a decline in consultations and screenings rather than an actual decline in circulation. However, from 2022 the trend accelerated again.
Out of Host Foundation, Leandro Cahn points out: “About 40,000 new cases are detected every year. And most of the cases are due to other factors, but to the increase in sexual relations without a condom.”
In 2023, 30,000 annual cases were exceeded for the first time, and a historic record was reached in 2024: 36,917 caseswith a national rate of 93 per 100,000 residents, the highest recorded to date. The southern region leads the highest rates 133 infections per 100,000 inhabitantsand shows a growth of 32%. Cuyo and NOA follow, also with significant increases. Neuquén is the province that has recorded a 110% increase in annual rate, while Entre Ríos and Tierra del Fuego are the provinces that have grown the most.
The increase in this data, which affects people’s health and can even lead to more complex diseases, is due not only to the cuts in health policy promoted by the Milei government, but also to the impact of the resurgence of arguments against sexual and reproductive rights.
Doctors in Buenos Aires are alarmed by the increase in cases of two sexually transmitted diseases
The culture war waged by conservative sectors at the global level aims to delegitimize scientifically based information and assimilate it with down-to-earth and anti-health opinions. From nonprofit organizations to churches of various faiths promoting campaigns to demonize condom use, a shift is evident in the use of barrier methods to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Memes and hashtags spread slogans such as “bareback” or “stuffed animal” that became popular on social networks and refer to sexual relations without a condom. A report published by the University of Buenos Aires Clinical Hospital revealed statistics showing a decline in the use of barrier methods, particularly among young people. This report from AHF Argentina recorded that in 2021 only the 5% of young people and the 13% of young people They said they always used a condom.
The Huésped Foundation claims that in the 2026 budget project there is an increase in the purchase of condoms, although compared to previous years, in which there was no purchase of condoms in the first two years of the national government.
The concern doesn’t just affect Argentina. Data shows that it has been steadily increasing globally and in the Americas region over the past decade, with a rise in new infections.
Syphilis posed a major public health burden in the early 20th century until the introduction of penicillin, which led to a significant decline in incidence in most developed countries. The World Health Organization It is estimated that around 8 million adults will have syphilis in 2022.
The region has one of the highest rates of congenital syphilis in the world, highlighting the lack of maternal and pregnancy care. In Latin America The number of new infections annually exceeds 3.3 millionrepresenting an increase of nearly 30% since 2020, despite the pandemic’s initial impact on health reports.
Although syphilis is curable with penicillin, the global reliance on a single antibiotic represents a strategic vulnerability: production problems or supply shortages could result in shortages in countries with limited domestic production capacity. This reinforces global warnings about the spread of antimicrobial resistance, a threat impacting the global health system. Misinformation and the denaturation of evidence-based medicine make it difficult to provide organic and global answers.
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