Geographical CDC data shows cases of syphilis, once thought to be a sexual infection of the past, have grown more than seven-fold in the last decade.
The South and the West shared the highest rates of congenital syphilis cases from 2018-2022.
From the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on the bacterial infection: "If untreated, syphilis can seriously damage the heart and brain and can cause blindness, deafness, and paralysis. When transmitted during pregnancy, it can cause miscarriage, lifelong medical issues, and infant death."
As a reminder, the CDC says, "You cannot get syphilis through casual contact with objects," like doorknobs, sharing clothes or eating utensils.
Guest
-Arlene C. Seña is a doctor, a Professor of Medicine at U-N-C’s Medical School, and a professor of Epidemiology at the Gillings School of Public Health. She is also a consultant for the CDC Sexually Transmitted Disease(s) Treatment Guidelines.
Additional data referenced in this segment:
-Primary and Secondary Syphilis — Reported Cases Among Women Aged 15–44 Years by County, United States, 2022
-Missed Opportunities for Preventing Congenital Syphilis — United States, 2022
