The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that nearly a quarter of syphilis cases in the US were diagnosed in women in 2022, indicating that the nation’s syphilis epidemic is increasingly spreading among heterosexual couples. The number of syphilis cases reported in women increased by 19.5% in 2022, reaching a total of 14,652 cases of primary and secondary syphilis.
This constitutes roughly a quarter of the 59,016 cases nationwide. The rise in syphilis cases among women is a concerning trend, as men who have sex with men continue to make up a disproportionately large share of cases, according to the CDC.
Syphilis Cases Hit Historic High Since the 1950
The final figures for 2022 represent the largest number of diagnosed syphilis cases nationwide since the 1950s.
Health officials have been sounding the alarm about the worsening syphilis epidemic for years. While penicillin led to a significant decline in syphilis rates in the last century, cases began to rise again in recent years.
The CDC’s Director of the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Dr. Jonathan Mermin, emphasized the need for robust public health systems, tailored prevention strategies, and efforts to address contributing factors like substance abuse.
Syphilis rates have been increasing annually since 2011, and the epidemic remains disproportionately high, especially among Black and American Indian populations.
Mermin noted the intersection of syphilis with drug use, particularly methamphetamine use, among heterosexual men and women.
The CDC stressed the importance of improving diagnosis and treatment efforts and redoubling efforts to address factors like substance abuse that contribute to the spread of syphilis.
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Syphilis Surge in 2022 Sparks Concerns for 2023
Syphilis, caused by the bacteria T. pallidum, can lead to serious complications if left untreated. Signs of syphilis typically appear as a single painless ulcer.
If the disease spreads to other parts of the body, it can result in more severe complications, such as brain or nervous infections.
The CDC also highlighted the increase in rates of congenital syphilis, a potentially life-threatening form of the disease passed from mother to baby during pregnancy.
The CDC’s final tally for 2022 comes amid warnings that 2023’s sexually transmitted infection (STI) case counts could be worse due to funding cuts and shortages of key treatments.
The National Coalition of STD Directors expressed concern over the deteriorating public health crisis and urged the administration and Congress to provide the necessary funding to address the issue.
A shortage of Pfizer’s Bicillin L-A, the recommended treatment for pregnant women and their babies to prevent congenital syphilis, has persisted, impacting access to necessary treatment.
The CDC has attributed many recent congenital syphilis cases to gaps and delays in testing and treatment. The Department of Health and Human Services is mobilizing a new task force to respond to the syphilis resurgence.
Health officials emphasize the urgency of addressing the syphilis crisis and eliminating disparities in the healthcare system.
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