Syphilis Cases at a 70-Year High. Here’s What You Need to Know

The͏͏ U.S.͏͏ Centers͏͏ for͏͏ Disease͏͏ Control͏͏ and͏͏ Prevention͏͏ (CDC)͏͏ has͏͏ reported͏͏ an͏͏ 80%͏͏ increase͏͏ in͏͏ syphilis͏͏ cases͏͏ from͏͏ 2018͏͏ to͏͏ 2022,͏͏ making͏͏ it͏͏ a͏͏ pressing͏͏ issue͏͏ for͏͏ healthcare͏͏ professionals,͏͏ policymakers,͏͏ and͏͏ the͏͏ public͏͏ alike.͏͏ While͏͏ medical͏͏ advances͏͏ have͏͏ made͏͏ syphilis͏͏ easy͏͏ to͏͏ diagnose͏͏ and͏͏ treat͏͏ in͏͏ its͏͏ early͏͏ stages,͏͏ barriers͏͏ such͏͏ as͏͏ stigma,͏͏ lack͏͏ of͏͏ awareness,͏͏ and͏͏ limited͏͏ access͏͏ to͏͏ healthcare͏͏ continue͏͏ to͏͏ fuel͏͏ its͏͏ spread.

Overview͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ Syphilis͏͏ Resurgence͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ U.S.

A͏͏ Disease͏͏ on͏͏ the͏͏ Rise

Once͏͏ considered͏͏ a͏͏ disease͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ past,͏͏ syphilis͏͏ has͏͏ re-emerged͏͏ as͏͏ a͏͏ major͏͏ public͏͏ health͏͏ threat.͏͏ According͏͏ to͏͏ the͏͏ CDC,͏͏ the͏͏ number͏͏ of͏͏ reported͏͏ syphilis͏͏ cases͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ U.S.͏͏ rose͏͏ from͏͏ approximately͏͏ 115,000͏͏ in͏͏ 2018͏͏ to͏͏ over͏͏ 207,000͏͏ in͏͏ 2022.͏͏ The͏͏ most͏͏ concerning͏͏ aspect͏͏ of͏͏ this͏͏ trend͏͏ is͏͏ the͏͏ rapid͏͏ increase͏͏ in͏͏ congenital͏͏ syphilis,͏͏ where͏͏ cases͏͏ rose͏͏ tenfold͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ last͏͏ decade,͏͏ leading͏͏ to͏͏ stillbirths,͏͏ neonatal͏͏ deaths,͏͏ and͏͏ lifelong͏͏ complications͏͏ for͏͏ affected͏͏ infants.

Affected͏͏ Populations

While͏͏ syphilis͏͏ was͏͏ once͏͏ more͏͏ prevalent͏͏ among͏͏ men͏͏ who͏͏ have͏͏ sex͏͏ with͏͏ men͏͏ (MSM),͏͏ the͏͏ recent͏͏ surge͏͏ has͏͏ spread͏͏ across͏͏ a͏͏ broader͏͏ demographic,͏͏ including:

• Women͏͏ and͏͏ Newborns:͏͏ A͏͏ sharp͏͏ rise͏͏ in͏͏ cases͏͏ among͏͏ women͏͏ has͏͏ led͏͏ to͏͏ a͏͏ dramatic͏͏ increase͏͏ in͏͏ congenital͏͏ syphilis.
• Minority͏͏ Communities:͏͏ Black,͏͏ Hispanic,͏͏ and͏͏ Native͏͏ American͏͏ populations͏͏ have͏͏ been͏͏ disproportionately͏͏ affected͏͏ due͏͏ to͏͏ healthcare͏͏ disparities.
• HIV-Positive͏͏ Individuals:͏͏ Co-infection͏͏ rates͏͏ of͏͏ syphilis͏͏ and͏͏ HIV͏͏ have͏͏ increased,͏͏ compounding͏͏ health͏͏ risks.

Geographic͏͏ Hotspots

Certain͏͏ regions͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ U.S.͏͏ have͏͏ been͏͏ hit͏͏ harder͏͏ than͏͏ others.͏͏ States͏͏ such͏͏ as͏͏ California,͏͏ Texas,͏͏ and͏͏ Florida͏͏ report͏͏ some͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ highest͏͏ numbers͏͏ of͏͏ syphilis͏͏ cases,͏͏ often͏͏ correlating͏͏ with͏͏ areas͏͏ of͏͏ high͏͏ poverty͏͏ and͏͏ limited͏͏ healthcare͏͏ access.

Key͏͏ Benefits͏͏ of͏͏ Addressing͏͏ the͏͏ Syphilis͏͏ Epidemic

Preventing͏͏ Serious͏͏ Health͏͏ Complications

If͏͏ left͏͏ untreated,͏͏ syphilis͏͏ progresses͏͏ through͏͏ multiple͏͏ stages,͏͏ each͏͏ with͏͏ escalating͏͏ health͏͏ risks:

• Primary͏͏ stage:͏͏ Sores͏͏ at͏͏ the͏͏ site͏͏ of͏͏ infection
• Secondary͏͏ stage:͏͏ Rashes,͏͏ fever,͏͏ and͏͏ flu-like͏͏ symptoms
• Latent͏͏ stage:͏͏ No͏͏ visible͏͏ symptoms,͏͏ but͏͏ internal͏͏ damage͏͏ continues
• Tertiary͏͏ stage:͏͏ Severe͏͏ organ͏͏ damage,͏͏ neurological͏͏ issues,͏͏ and͏͏ even͏͏ death

Early͏͏ detection͏͏ and͏͏ treatment͏͏ with͏͏ antibiotics,͏͏ such͏͏ as͏͏ penicillin,͏͏ can͏͏ prevent͏͏ these͏͏ serious͏͏ complications.

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Reducing͏͏ Congenital͏͏ Syphilis͏͏ Cases

Routine͏͏ prenatal͏͏ screening͏͏ and͏͏ early͏͏ intervention͏͏ can͏͏ drastically͏͏ reduce͏͏ cases͏͏ of͏͏ congenital͏͏ syphilis,͏͏ preventing͏͏ infant͏͏ deaths͏͏ and͏͏ birth͏͏ defects.

Controlling͏͏ the͏͏ Spread͏͏ of͏͏ Other͏͏ STIs

Syphilis͏͏ increases͏͏ susceptibility͏͏ to͏͏ HIV͏͏ and͏͏ other͏͏ STIs,͏͏ making͏͏ its͏͏ containment͏͏ crucial͏͏ for͏͏ overall͏͏ public͏͏ health.

Lowering͏͏ Healthcare͏͏ Costs

Preventing͏͏ syphilis͏͏ through͏͏ education,͏͏ regular͏͏ screenings,͏͏ and͏͏ accessible͏͏ treatments͏͏ can͏͏ save͏͏ billions͏͏ in͏͏ healthcare͏͏ expenses͏͏ related͏͏ to͏͏ long-term͏͏ complications.

Challenges͏͏ and͏͏ Risks͏͏ in͏͏ Controlling͏͏ Syphilis

Limited͏͏ Public͏͏ Awareness

Many͏͏ people͏͏ remain͏͏ unaware͏͏ of͏͏ syphilis͏͏ symptoms͏͏ or͏͏ believe͏͏ it͏͏ is͏͏ no͏͏ longer͏͏ a͏͏ major͏͏ concern.͏͏ This͏͏ leads͏͏ to͏͏ delayed͏͏ testing͏͏ and͏͏ treatment,͏͏ allowing͏͏ the͏͏ disease͏͏ to͏͏ spread͏͏ undetected.

Stigma͏͏ and͏͏ Social͏͏ Barriers

Fear͏͏ of͏͏ judgment͏͏ discourages͏͏ people͏͏ from͏͏ seeking͏͏ testing͏͏ and͏͏ treatment,͏͏ particularly͏͏ in͏͏ conservative͏͏ communities͏͏ and͏͏ among͏͏ MSM.

Healthcare͏͏ Disparities

Many͏͏ uninsured͏͏ or͏͏ underinsured͏͏ individuals͏͏ lack͏͏ access͏͏ to͏͏ affordable͏͏ testing͏͏ and͏͏ treatment,͏͏ creating͏͏ a͏͏ significant͏͏ barrier͏͏ to͏͏ controlling͏͏ the͏͏ epidemic.

Declining͏͏ Condom͏͏ Use

Many͏͏ individuals,͏͏ particularly͏͏ those͏͏ on͏͏ HIV͏͏ PrEP͏͏ (pre-exposure͏͏ prophylaxis),͏͏ have͏͏ reduced͏͏ their͏͏ use͏͏ of͏͏ condoms,͏͏ increasing͏͏ their͏͏ vulnerability͏͏ to͏͏ syphilis͏͏ and͏͏ other͏͏ STIs.

Solutions͏͏ and͏͏ Recommendations

Expanded͏͏ Testing͏͏ and͏͏ Early͏͏ Detection

• Regular͏͏ STI͏͏ screenings͏͏ should͏͏ be͏͏ promoted,͏͏ especially͏͏ among͏͏ at-risk͏͏ populations.
• At-home͏͏ STD͏͏ testing͏͏ kits͏͏ offer͏͏ a͏͏ discreet͏͏ and͏͏ convenient͏͏ option͏͏ for͏͏ those͏͏ hesitant͏͏ to͏͏ visit͏͏ clinics.

Increased͏͏ Public͏͏ Health͏͏ Campaigns

• Government͏͏ and͏͏ nonprofit͏͏ organizations͏͏ must͏͏ launch͏͏ educational͏͏ campaigns͏͏ highlighting͏͏ the͏͏ dangers͏͏ of͏͏ syphilis.
• Schools͏͏ should͏͏ integrate͏͏ comprehensive͏͏ sex͏͏ education͏͏ that͏͏ includes͏͏ STI͏͏ prevention͏͏ strategies.

Improved͏͏ Access͏͏ to͏͏ Healthcare

• Free͏͏ or͏͏ low-cost͏͏ clinics͏͏ should͏͏ be͏͏ expanded͏͏ to͏͏ underserved͏͏ areas.
• Telemedicine͏͏ services͏͏ can͏͏ provide͏͏ remote͏͏ consultations͏͏ and͏͏ prescriptions͏͏ for͏͏ syphilis͏͏ treatment.

Promotion͏͏ of͏͏ Preventive͏͏ Measures

• Encouraging͏͏ consistent͏͏ condom͏͏ use
• Using͏͏ doxycycline͏͏ PEP͏͏ (post-exposure͏͏ prophylaxis),͏͏ which͏͏ has͏͏ shown͏͏ effectiveness͏͏ in͏͏ reducing͏͏ syphilis͏͏ infections.

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Statistical͏͏ Insights͏͏ and͏͏ Data

• 80%͏͏ increase͏͏ in͏͏ syphilis͏͏ cases͏͏ from͏͏ 2018͏͏ to͏͏ 2022
• 3,700͏͏ cases͏͏ of͏͏ congenital͏͏ syphilis͏͏ in͏͏ 2022,͏͏ a͏͏ tenfold͏͏ increase͏͏ over͏͏ the͏͏ past͏͏ decade
• HIV-positive͏͏ individuals͏͏ are͏͏ 3-5͏͏ times͏͏ more͏͏ likely͏͏ to͏͏ contract͏͏ syphilis

Historical͏͏ Context:͏͏ The͏͏ Rise,͏͏ Fall,͏͏ and͏͏ Resurgence͏͏ of͏͏ Syphilis

Early͏͏ Epidemics͏͏ and͏͏ the͏͏ Fight͏͏ Against͏͏ Syphilis

Syphilis͏͏ has͏͏ plagued͏͏ human͏͏ populations͏͏ for͏͏ centuries.͏͏ The͏͏ first͏͏ recorded͏͏ outbreak͏͏ in͏͏ Europe͏͏ occurred͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ late͏͏ 15th͏͏ century,͏͏ leading͏͏ to͏͏ severe͏͏ cases͏͏ of͏͏ disfigurement͏͏ and͏͏ death.͏͏ By͏͏ the͏͏ early͏͏ 20th͏͏ century,͏͏ syphilis͏͏ was͏͏ a͏͏ widespread͏͏ and͏͏ deadly͏͏ disease,͏͏ affecting͏͏ millions͏͏ worldwide.

The͏͏ discovery͏͏ of͏͏ penicillin͏͏ in͏͏ 1928͏͏ revolutionized͏͏ syphilis͏͏ treatment,͏͏ and͏͏ by͏͏ the͏͏ mid-20th͏͏ century,͏͏ aggressive͏͏ public͏͏ health͏͏ campaigns͏͏ and͏͏ widespread͏͏ antibiotic͏͏ availability͏͏ had͏͏ dramatically͏͏ reduced͏͏ infection͏͏ rates.͏͏ By͏͏ the͏͏ 1990s͏͏ and͏͏ early͏͏ 2000s,͏͏ syphilis͏͏ was͏͏ on͏͏ the͏͏ verge͏͏ of͏͏ eradication͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ U.S.,͏͏ with͏͏ record-low͏͏ case͏͏ numbers.

Modern͏͏ Resurgence͏͏ and͏͏ Public͏͏ Health͏͏ Challenges

However,͏͏ the͏͏ decline͏͏ was͏͏ short-lived.͏͏ In͏͏ the͏͏ early͏͏ 2000s,͏͏ syphilis͏͏ began͏͏ a͏͏ steady͏͏ comeback,͏͏ initially͏͏ concentrated͏͏ among͏͏ men͏͏ who͏͏ have͏͏ sex͏͏ with͏͏ men͏͏ (MSM).͏͏ By͏͏ 2014-2015,͏͏ the͏͏ infection͏͏ had͏͏ spread͏͏ more͏͏ widely,͏͏ with͏͏ cases͏͏ among͏͏ women͏͏ and͏͏ newborns͏͏ skyrocketing͏͏ by͏͏ the͏͏ 2020s.͏͏ The͏͏ rise͏͏ in͏͏ HIV͏͏ prevention͏͏ drugs͏͏ (PrEP),͏͏ declining͏͏ condom͏͏ use,͏͏ and͏͏ reduced͏͏ sexual͏͏ health͏͏ funding͏͏ contributed͏͏ to͏͏ this͏͏ resurgence.

Future͏͏ Trends:͏͏ Where͏͏ Is͏͏ the͏͏ Syphilis͏͏ Epidemic͏͏ Headed?

The͏͏ Impact͏͏ of͏͏ New͏͏ Medical͏͏ Advances

• Doxycycline͏͏ PEP͏͏ (post-exposure͏͏ prophylaxis)͏͏ has͏͏ emerged͏͏ as͏͏ a͏͏ promising͏͏ preventive͏͏ measure,͏͏ reducing͏͏ the͏͏ risk͏͏ of͏͏ syphilis͏͏ transmission͏͏ when͏͏ taken͏͏ after͏͏ exposure.
• New͏͏ rapid͏͏ syphilis͏͏ testing͏͏ technologies͏͏ are͏͏ making͏͏ detection͏͏ faster͏͏ and͏͏ more͏͏ accessible.

Expansion͏͏ of͏͏ At-Home͏͏ Testing

• Increased͏͏ availability͏͏ of͏͏ at-home͏͏ STD͏͏ test͏͏ kits͏͏ is͏͏ expected͏͏ to͏͏ improve͏͏ early͏͏ detection,͏͏ particularly͏͏ for͏͏ those͏͏ reluctant͏͏ to͏͏ visit͏͏ clinics.
• Digital͏͏ healthcare͏͏ platforms͏͏ will͏͏ further͏͏ integrate͏͏ telemedicine͏͏ consultations͏͏ for͏͏ syphilis͏͏ diagnosis͏͏ and͏͏ treatment.

Stronger͏͏ Public͏͏ Health͏͏ Initiatives

• More͏͏ aggressive͏͏ screening͏͏ recommendations,͏͏ particularly͏͏ for͏͏ pregnant͏͏ women,͏͏ are͏͏ likely͏͏ to͏͏ be͏͏ implemented͏͏ nationwide.
• Federal͏͏ and͏͏ state͏͏ funding͏͏ for͏͏ STI͏͏ prevention͏͏ may͏͏ increase͏͏ as͏͏ policymakers͏͏ recognize͏͏ the͏͏ economic͏͏ and͏͏ public͏͏ health͏͏ impact͏͏ of͏͏ syphilis.

The͏͏ Role͏͏ of͏͏ AI͏͏ and͏͏ Digital͏͏ Health

• AI-driven͏͏ contact͏͏ tracing͏͏ and͏͏ predictive͏͏ analytics͏͏ could͏͏ help͏͏ identify͏͏ high-risk͏͏ populations͏͏ and͏͏ target͏͏ prevention͏͏ efforts.
• Social͏͏ media͏͏ campaigns͏͏ will͏͏ play͏͏ a͏͏ larger͏͏ role͏͏ in͏͏ educating͏͏ younger͏͏ populations͏͏ about͏͏ syphilis͏͏ risks͏͏ and͏͏ prevention.

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Practical͏͏ Applications:͏͏ What͏͏ You͏͏ Can͏͏ Do͏͏ Today

Get͏͏ Tested͏͏ Regularly

• If͏͏ you͏͏ are͏͏ sexually͏͏ active,͏͏ regular͏͏ STI͏͏ screenings͏͏ should͏͏ be͏͏ part͏͏ of͏͏ your͏͏ routine͏͏ health͏͏ check-ups.
• Use͏͏ at-home͏͏ syphilis͏͏ test͏͏ kits͏͏ for͏͏ privacy͏͏ and͏͏ convenience.

Know͏͏ the͏͏ Symptoms

• Early͏͏ symptoms͏͏ like͏͏ sores,͏͏ rashes,͏͏ and͏͏ flu-like͏͏ signs͏͏ should͏͏ never͏͏ be͏͏ ignored.

Practice͏͏ Safe͏͏ Sex

• Consistent͏͏ condom͏͏ use͏͏ remains͏͏ one͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ most͏͏ effective͏͏ preventive͏͏ measures.
• Discuss͏͏ sexual͏͏ health͏͏ with͏͏ partners͏͏ to͏͏ ensure͏͏ mutual͏͏ safety.

Seek͏͏ Treatment͏͏ Immediately

• Syphilis͏͏ is͏͏ easily͏͏ treatable͏͏ with͏͏ antibiotics͏͏ if͏͏ caught͏͏ early.
• Avoid͏͏ self-diagnosing,͏͏ and͏͏ consult͏͏ a͏͏ healthcare͏͏ provider͏͏ if͏͏ you͏͏ suspect͏͏ an͏͏ infection.

Industry͏͏ Impact:͏͏ How͏͏ the͏͏ Healthcare͏͏ Sector͏͏ Is͏͏ Responding

The͏͏ Burden͏͏ on͏͏ Healthcare͏͏ Systems

• Rising͏͏ syphilis͏͏ rates͏͏ increase͏͏ the͏͏ demand͏͏ for͏͏ STI͏͏ clinics͏͏ and͏͏ treatment͏͏ centers.
• Hospitals͏͏ are͏͏ seeing͏͏ higher͏͏ rates͏͏ of͏͏ congenital͏͏ syphilis͏͏ complications,͏͏ requiring͏͏ intensive͏͏ neonatal͏͏ care.

The͏͏ Role͏͏ of͏͏ Telemedicine

• Many͏͏ STI͏͏ consultations͏͏ are͏͏ shifting͏͏ to͏͏ virtual͏͏ platforms,͏͏ making͏͏ testing͏͏ and͏͏ treatment͏͏ more͏͏ accessible.

Increased͏͏ Government͏͏ and͏͏ Nonprofit͏͏ Involvement

• The͏͏ CDC,͏͏ WHO,͏͏ and͏͏ local͏͏ health͏͏ departments͏͏ are͏͏ ramping͏͏ up͏͏ awareness͏͏ campaigns.
• Free͏͏ or͏͏ low-cost͏͏ testing͏͏ is͏͏ being͏͏ expanded͏͏ in͏͏ high-risk͏͏ areas.

Personal͏͏ Stories:͏͏ Real-Life͏͏ Impact͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ Syphilis͏͏ Surge

Case͏͏ 1:͏͏ A͏͏ Late͏͏ Diagnosis͏͏ with͏͏ Consequences

Michael,͏͏ a͏͏ 34-year-old͏͏ from͏͏ California,͏͏ initially͏͏ dismissed͏͏ his͏͏ symptoms͏͏ as͏͏ a͏͏ mild͏͏ skin͏͏ infection.͏͏ By͏͏ the͏͏ time͏͏ he͏͏ sought͏͏ treatment,͏͏ he͏͏ had͏͏ developed͏͏ neurological͏͏ complications͏͏ due͏͏ to͏͏ late-stage͏͏ syphilis.͏͏ His͏͏ experience͏͏ highlights͏͏ the͏͏ importance͏͏ of͏͏ early͏͏ testing͏͏ and͏͏ awareness.

Case͏͏ 2:͏͏ A͏͏ Pregnant͏͏ Woman’s͏͏ Syphilis͏͏ Scare

Sarah,͏͏ a͏͏ 28-year-old͏͏ expectant͏͏ mother,͏͏ was͏͏ shocked͏͏ to͏͏ test͏͏ positive͏͏ for͏͏ syphilis͏͏ during͏͏ her͏͏ prenatal͏͏ checkup.͏͏ Fortunately,͏͏ early͏͏ detection͏͏ allowed͏͏ for͏͏ treatment,͏͏ preventing͏͏ transmission͏͏ to͏͏ her͏͏ baby.

These͏͏ cases͏͏ illustrate͏͏ the͏͏ real͏͏ dangers͏͏ of͏͏ ignoring͏͏ syphilis͏͏ symptoms͏͏ and͏͏ the͏͏ life-saving͏͏ power͏͏ of͏͏ routine͏͏ STI͏͏ screenings.

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Common͏͏ Misconceptions͏͏ About͏͏ Syphilis

1.͏͏ “Syphilis͏͏ is͏͏ a͏͏ disease͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ past.”

False.͏͏ Syphilis͏͏ cases͏͏ are͏͏ at͏͏ their͏͏ highest͏͏ levels͏͏ in͏͏ decades.

2.͏͏ “You͏͏ would͏͏ know͏͏ if͏͏ you͏͏ had͏͏ syphilis.”

False.͏͏ Many͏͏ cases͏͏ show͏͏ no͏͏ symptoms͏͏ or͏͏ have͏͏ mild,͏͏ mistaken͏͏ symptoms.

3.͏͏ “Only͏͏ high-risk͏͏ groups͏͏ get͏͏ syphilis.”

False.͏͏ Syphilis͏͏ affects͏͏ all͏͏ demographics,͏͏ including͏͏ women,͏͏ infants,͏͏ and͏͏ heterosexual͏͏ individuals.

4.͏͏ “Syphilis͏͏ always͏͏ causes͏͏ visible͏͏ sores.”

False.͏͏ Many͏͏ people͏͏ have͏͏ internal͏͏ infections͏͏ without͏͏ external͏͏ symptoms.

5.͏͏ “Once͏͏ treated,͏͏ syphilis͏͏ can’t͏͏ come͏͏ back.”

False.͏͏ You͏͏ can͏͏ get͏͏ re-infected͏͏ if͏͏ exposed͏͏ again.

FAQs

1.͏͏ How͏͏ is͏͏ syphilis͏͏ transmitted?

Syphilis͏͏ spreads͏͏ through͏͏ direct͏͏ contact͏͏ with͏͏ syphilitic͏͏ sores͏͏ during͏͏ vaginal,͏͏ anal,͏͏ or͏͏ oral͏͏ sex.͏͏ It͏͏ can͏͏ also͏͏ be͏͏ passed͏͏ from͏͏ mother͏͏ to͏͏ child͏͏ during͏͏ pregnancy.

2.͏͏ What͏͏ are͏͏ the͏͏ early͏͏ symptoms?

Early͏͏ symptoms͏͏ include͏͏ painless͏͏ sores,͏͏ rashes,͏͏ swollen͏͏ lymph͏͏ nodes,͏͏ and͏͏ flu-like͏͏ symptoms.

3.͏͏ How͏͏ is͏͏ syphilis͏͏ diagnosed?

Diagnosis͏͏ is͏͏ done͏͏ through͏͏ blood͏͏ tests͏͏ or͏͏ direct͏͏ examination͏͏ of͏͏ sores.

4.͏͏ Is͏͏ syphilis͏͏ curable?

Yes,͏͏ antibiotics͏͏ (usually͏͏ penicillin)͏͏ can͏͏ completely͏͏ cure͏͏ syphilis͏͏ if͏͏ treated͏͏ early.

5.͏͏ Can͏͏ I͏͏ get͏͏ syphilis͏͏ from͏͏ kissing?

Rarely,͏͏ but͏͏ if͏͏ a͏͏ partner͏͏ has͏͏ syphilitic͏͏ sores͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ mouth,͏͏ transmission͏͏ is͏͏ possible.

6.͏͏ Can͏͏ syphilis͏͏ affect͏͏ my͏͏ baby͏͏ during͏͏ pregnancy?

Yes,͏͏ congenital͏͏ syphilis͏͏ can͏͏ cause͏͏ stillbirths,͏͏ birth͏͏ defects,͏͏ or͏͏ severe͏͏ health͏͏ complications͏͏ in͏͏ newborns.

7.͏͏ What͏͏ happens͏͏ if͏͏ syphilis͏͏ is͏͏ left͏͏ untreated?

It͏͏ progresses͏͏ to͏͏ severe͏͏ complications,͏͏ including͏͏ blindness,͏͏ paralysis,͏͏ and͏͏ organ͏͏ damage.

8.͏͏ Can͏͏ condoms͏͏ prevent͏͏ syphilis?

Yes,͏͏ but͏͏ only͏͏ if͏͏ they͏͏ cover͏͏ syphilitic͏͏ sores.

9.͏͏ Is͏͏ at-home͏͏ syphilis͏͏ testing͏͏ accurate?

Yes,͏͏ most͏͏ FDA-approved͏͏ home͏͏ test͏͏ kits͏͏ provide͏͏ reliable͏͏ results.

10.͏͏ What͏͏ should͏͏ I͏͏ do͏͏ if͏͏ I͏͏ test͏͏ positive?

Seek͏͏ immediate͏͏ medical͏͏ treatment͏͏ to͏͏ prevent͏͏ complications.

Taking͏͏ Action:͏͏ Protect͏͏ Yourself͏͏ and͏͏ Others

Syphilis͏͏ is͏͏ a͏͏ growing͏͏ public͏͏ health͏͏ crisis,͏͏ but͏͏ it͏͏ is͏͏ also͏͏ preventable͏͏ and͏͏ treatable.͏͏ The͏͏ best͏͏ defense͏͏ is͏͏ awareness,͏͏ routine͏͏ testing,͏͏ and͏͏ prompt͏͏ treatment.

What͏͏ You͏͏ Can͏͏ Do͏͏ Today

• Get͏͏ tested͏͏ regularly,͏͏ especially͏͏ if͏͏ sexually͏͏ active.
• Encourage͏͏ open͏͏ conversations͏͏ about͏͏ STIs͏͏ with͏͏ partners.
• Use͏͏ at-home͏͏ STD͏͏ test͏͏ kits͏͏ for͏͏ convenience.
• Seek͏͏ treatment͏͏ immediately͏͏ if͏͏ exposed.

As͏͏ syphilis͏͏ cases͏͏ continue͏͏ to͏͏ rise,͏͏ education͏͏ and͏͏ proactive͏͏ healthcare͏͏ are͏͏ key͏͏ to͏͏ reversing͏͏ this͏͏ trend.͏͏ Protect͏͏ yourself,͏͏ your͏͏ partners,͏͏ and͏͏ your͏͏ community͏͏ by͏͏ staying͏͏ informed͏͏ and͏͏ taking͏͏ action.

Sources

1.- Why is Syphilis Spiking in the U.S.? | Johns Hopkins

2.- Syphilis cases rise to their highest levels since the 1950s, CDC says

3.- NCHS Data Brief, Number 496, February 2024 - CDC

4.- 2022 U.S. Syphilis Cases Reach Highest Numbers Since the 1950s

5.- Syphilis cases increase in the Americas - PAHO/WHO