Contact Tracing

Last Updated: June 2026

Contact tracing is important to prevent re-infection and reduce transmission.
The diagnosing clinician is responsible for initiating and documenting a discussion about contact tracing. If required, seek advice or support from a contact tracing or sexual health expert.
Identified sexual contacts of the person with syphilis infection must be offered testing.
Where relevant, consider engaging an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker to ensure cultural safety and consider local protocols regarding men’s and women’s business.
Ongoing sexual contacts of pregnant people are the highest priority and must be presumptively treated as soon as possible to prevent re-infection during pregnancy. Pregnant people must be informed about the risk of transmission to their baby, treatment, the need for ongoing monitoring and the high risk of re-infection later in pregnancy if their sexual partner(s) are not treated promptly and appropriately.

Trace back according to sexual history and clinical stage of infection:

Stage	Trace-back period
Primary syphilis	3 months plus duration of symptoms or last negative test
Secondary syphilis	6 months plus duration of symptoms or last negative test
Early latent	12 months or most recent negative test
Late latent syphilis	Test current partner/s. If any doubt as to whether the patient has early latent or late latent syphilis, contact trace as for early latent syphilis.

Confidentiality and privacy:

explain what information may be provided to Public Health Units or other third parties (e.g. the Syphilis Register) and why
explain who can access their information and how
discuss that contact tracing can be conducted anonymously
explain the different methods of contact tracing giving the patient a choice

The patient may be able to perform independent contact tracing using Anonymous Partner Notification Websites:

Target audience	Website
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people	Better to know https://www.bettertoknow.org.au/
Men who have sex with men (MSM)	Drama down under https://www.thedramadownunder.info/introduction/
Heterosexual people	Let them know https://letthemknow.org.au/

After treatment patients should be advised to have no sexual contact for 7 days after treatment is commenced, or until the course is completed and symptoms resolved, whichever is later.
Advise no sex with partners from the last 3 months (primary syphilis), 6 months (secondary syphilis) or 12 months (early latent) until the partners have been tested and treated if necessary.