The Kirby Institute has been awarded $2.8 million in federal government funding to identify and address gaps in congenital syphilis prevention.
Dr Belinda Hengel, Senior Lecturer in the Kirby Institute’s Surveillance, Evaluation and Research Program is leading a team that has been awarded the funding through a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Partnership Projects grant
The project, Understanding the gaps in congenital syphilis prevention and health equity: A community-informed, multidisciplinary approach, will see the Kirby Institute partner with the Australian CDC, state and territory health departments, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (ASHM), and the Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL).
"Each of our partners bring a unique breadth of knowledge, expertise and resources to the research. Their contributions will be fundamental to our goal of better understanding the current gaps in syphilis testing and treatment and developing strategies that can make a real difference to curbing the epidemic,” said Senior Lecturer in the Kirby Institute’s Surveillance, Evaluation and Research Program and the project's Chief Investigator, Dr Belinda Hengel.
The partnership team of researchers will investigate where and why gaps in syphilis testing and treatment during pregnancy occur, how health systems can better support pregnant people to access timely testing and treatment, and develop strategies to stop the ongoing syphilis epidemic.
Rates of infectious syphilis in Australia have tripled since 2012. The infection can have serious consequences if left untreated during pregnancy, including congenital syphilis, which occurs when syphilis is transmitted from a pregnant person to their child.
In August 2025, syphilis was declared a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance following a devastating rise in infant deaths associated with congenital syphilis.
“Congenital syphilis is preventable, yet we are seeing the devastating consequences when opportunities to diagnose and treat syphilis during pregnancy are missed. This research will help us understand where those opportunities are being lost and, importantly, what we can do differently,” said Dr Hengel.
“Syphilis does not affect everyone equally. Factors such as unstable housing, racism, discrimination and substance use can increase people’s vulnerability to infection, while also creating barriers to accessing testing and treatment,” said Dr Hengel.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionately affected by the syphilis outbreak, with infectious syphilis notification rates 7 times higher than those of non-Indigenous Australians in 2024.
“First Nations communities know what works for their people. By listening to community voices and centring First Nations knowledge and leadership, we can identify where health systems are falling short and co-design culturally safe prevention approaches that respond to community priorities and create positive health outcomes,” said Mr Robert Monaghan, Manager of the Yandamanjang First Nations Health Research Program at the Kirby Institute and Chief Investigator on the study.
The research will support the National Syphilis Response Plan, which prioritises strategies to identify and reach pregnant people with syphilis and remove barriers to timely, appropriate care.
Guided by stakeholders, the partnership team will use trauma-informed approaches to explore the lived experiences of women, while also interviewing health care providers across a range of settings including drug treatment facilities. These experiences, along with mathematical modelling, will inform enhanced clinical and public health programs to support Australia on the path to eliminating congenital syphilis.