Syphilis infection rates rise in Argentina and Chile

Syphilis infection rates are showing significant increases in parts of South America. In the Río Negro province of Argentina, official records from the Ministry of Health show a sustained rise in cases, with a 70.8% increase between 2022 and 2025. In 2025, 1,124 cases were recorded, and approximately 73.3% of those infections occurred in individuals aged 15 to 34. The most affected subgroup was those aged 25 to 34, accounting for 36.7% of the provincial total.

Similarly, in Chile, the Department of Epidemiology reported 11,155 cases in 2025, marking the highest notification rate in the country at 55.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. This represents a 2.4-fold increase compared to a decade ago. While the highest concentration of cases remains among people aged 20 to 39, the infection rate for women over 60 doubled between 2021 and 2025. Experts note that the rise is driven by increased notifications rather than the re-emergence of a disappeared disease.