Wayne & Kevin Raise Awareness of Syphilis

With the rates of syphilis on the rise nationally, including Victoria, the Victorian AIDS
Council (VAC) has collaborated with a local Australian animator, Michael Cusack, to release Wayne & Kevin
- an animated short that illustrates the symptoms of syphilis and the importance of regular sexual health
screenings for gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) to maintain their sexual health and
wellbeing.
With a steady rise in the diagnosis rates of syphilis in Victoria over the last five years, this latest health
promotion message aims to clear up some of the misconceptions about syphilis. The symptoms of
syphilis are often mistaken for other things, and some cases of syphilis are asymptomatic. Syphilis is
highly contagious, and if left untreated, can damage the body’s internal organs and even lead to fatal
consequences in the long term. Regular sexual health testing is the only way to really know one’s sexual
health status.
“The earlier a person recognises their symptoms, the sooner they can be treated, and the less likely the
infection will be transmitted,” said Melbourne Sexual Health Centre Director, Prof Christopher K Fairley.
“Syphilis is a real concern for gay men and other MSM in Victoria. We’ve created ‘Wayne & Kevin’ to not
only raise awareness of the issues surrounding syphilis but to break down some of the stigma attached
with sexual health testing,” said VAC CEO Simon Ruth. “It’s a down-to-earth approach that uses realistic
language.”
Within hours of being posted on social media, the clip has had hundreds of views with positive feedback
across Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The clip can be viewed at: bit.ly/WayneKevin
For more information on syphilis, head to: www.thedramadownunder.info/bugs/syphilis