The Houston Health Department is waving clinic fees for people testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) after a significant outbreak of syphilis has hit the city.
ABC13 reports that there has been a shocking 128% increase in syphilis cases among women, and congenital cases are nine times higher. Congenital cases occur when the mother passes the bacterial infection to her unborn child. Left untreated, it can have severe effects like stillbirth or cause damage to the baby’s bones and organs.
The health department reported more than 1,800 cases of the STI in 2019, and in 2022 there were more than 2,900. That accounts for a 57% increase.
Officials believe the increase is due to pregnant women passing the disease to their babies. The health department encourages pregnant women and people who have had unprotected sex, multiple partners, and/or anonymous partners to get tested.
“Let’s talk about those pregnant females of childbearing capacity,” Lupita Thornton of the Houston Health Department told the outlet. “They need to test at their first prenatal visit, at the third trimester, and delivery. We can encourage people with multiple partners to test for it and for STI.”
Syphilis is a bacterial infection that can be spread through sexual contact. If caught early on, it can be treated with antibiotics. But since syphilis can sometimes present with zero symptoms, it can remain untreated, leading to blindness, deafness, and even death.
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