Syphilis has long been considered a 'historical' disease of little relevance in the 21st century. It was, in effect, eradicated in the UK during the mid-80s and is still relatively uncommon, making up less than 2% of the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) diagnosed in 2017. However, cases have doubled over the past decade and the infection is prevalent in particular communities, with London being more greatly affected than any other region.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/news-and-features/why-is-syphilis-on-the-rise