Health officials are warning Americans to take precautions, as syphilis cases in the United States are on the rise.
ProPublica recently published a report revealing that there were over 129,800 syphilis cases recorded in 2019. This total is double the number of cases seen in the previous five years. The publication also stated that congenital syphilis cases quadrupled during the same period.
While syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease, congenital syphilis occurs when a pregnant woman passes the infection to her baby. Earlier this month, Fox 29 called the number of congenital syphilis cases in San Antonio, Texas “startling.” About 40% of untreated babies with the illness die, with people of color more likely to contract it. In the early stage of syphilis, symptoms will include painless sores at the entry where the disease entered your body, which is usually the mouth, anus, or private area.
More recent data found a 49% increase in cases from 2019 to 2020 in Alaska alone.
Syphilis is usually treatable with Penicillin G, but severe complications can occur if left untreated, including damage to the heart, brain, liver, joints, and blood vessels. Meningitis, stroke, dementia, and heart disease can stem from untreated syphilis.
