Syphilis Spike: CDC Reveals That Cases in US Have Reached Highest Levels Since 1950s

US-DISEASE-GENDER-HEALTH-VIRUS — A model of a billboard from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) which ran in Los Angeles earlier this year but has been rejected to be displayed in many other cities is seen at the AHF office in Hollywood, California on May 18, 2018. - A billboard on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood screams out a stark warning: "drug-resistant gonorrhea alert!" Sexually transmitted diseases have made an alarming resurgence across the US, where 2016 saw a record two million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, including 628 cases of congenital syphilis. But California, the most populous US state, stands out for its willingness to tackle the crisis head-on, with cases of the three ailments up 45 percent in 2017 from five years ago. FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

According to a recently released report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), syphilis cases across the US have reached their highest peak since the 1950s.

Syphilis Explained

Syphilis is a kind of sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can be treated medically. If not treated, the condition could lead to serious health concerns. It may cause permanent damage to the brain, heart, muscles, eyes, and bones.

The progression of syphilis comes in four different stages, namely, primary, secondary, latent, and late syphilis. The first stage takes place two to 12 weeks after exposure to someone with the infection. In this stage, a hard and smooth sore known as chancre grows in the mouth and genitals. If medical treatment is not received during this stage, it progresses to the second stage: secondary syphilis.

Secondary syphilis happens roughly one to six months after the sore leaves. Then a bumpy and rough rash surfaces. This could cover the whole body. It does not usually result in itchiness. Other symptoms, such as fever, muscle aches, and wart-like sores, among others, may also accompany.

The condition progresses to the third stage if treatment is not received during the first two stages. During the latent stage, syphilis does not have any outward signs. During this stage, the infection could lead to damage in the organs, nerves, bones, and heart. It may last up to 20 years.

During the first two stages, syphilis can be transmitted through oral, vaginal, or anal sex. However, in the latent stage, transmission across sex partners is rare.

Most individuals do not go past the latent phase. This is due to the infection curing itself or because the symptoms are too mild. Roughly 20% reach the late syphilis phase, which leads to serious health concerns. Health problems that may surface during this stage include heart disease, brain damage, nerve damage, muscle problems, movement disorders, vision problems, and seizures.

The condition can be treated with antibiotics. Congenital syphilis can also be prevented if an infected pregnant individual gets prompt diagnosis and treatment. Babies who are born with the condition can also be cured through antibiotics.

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Syphilis Spike in US

As for the syphilis spike in the US, the CDC has not yet released its data for 2023. However, its most recent report found that the cases of syphilis went up by almost 80% between 2018 and 2022. This equated to over 207,000 new cases during the latter year.

Dr. Laura Bachmann, the acting director of the Division of STD Prevention of the CDC, explains that the epidemic of syphilis across the US has become worse in yet another year. Dr. Bachmann adds that prompt action is urgently necessary for the curve to be slowed down.

The rate of syphilis' most infectious stages, the primary and secondary stages, went up across all age groups and regions in the country. However, rates were observed to be notably high in certain ethnic minorities and racial groups. This was specifically observed in Alaska Native and American Indian individuals. Unlike other parts of the population, these groups also saw the highest congenital syphilis rates in 2022. There was one in every 155 births affected by the condition.

In terms of general numbers, Hispanic and Black communities saw the highest congenital syphilis cases in 2022.

Over 3,700 congenital syphilis cases were seen among 2022 newborns. This is an over 30% increase from 2021, and a 937% spike in the last decade. During the same year, populations across Louisiana, Florida, Arizona, California, and Texas accounted for 57% of all the reported cases of congenital syphilis. Across the country, the disease led to 282 infant deaths and stillbirths.

According to Jonathan Mermin, the director of the CDC's National Care for HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis prevention, the syphilis case spike may have been fueled by many factors, such as substance abuse and reduced condom use.

Though the center is still looking into other factors that could have contributed to the spike, the reports also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic could have played a role, as it pushed the focus away from STI monitoring and response.

Dr. Natalie Neu, a pediatric infectious disease expert from the Irving Medical Center of Columbia University, explains that the infection is simple to identify and treat. If the stigma regarding STIs could be removed and if people could be evaluated and treated in a nonthreatening and nonjudgmental setting, things could become better for babies and women.