The United States faces a concerning surge in syphilis cases, reaching levels not seen since 1950, as revealed by new federal data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on Tuesday.
According to the CDC report, syphilis cases have spiked by 17 percent in the past year and a staggering 80 percent in the last five years. With Congress contemplating cuts to funding for workers combating sexually transmitted infections, experts express grave concerns that the record-setting epidemic is unlikely to subside.
Laura Bachmann, the acting director of the CDC’s STD division, emphasized the critical state of the situation, stating, “The STI field has reached a tipping point. We have not faced such severe effects of syphilis in decades.”
In 2022, over 2.5 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia were reported in the U.S. The spotlight, however, is on the alarming syphilis and congenital syphilis epidemics.
Syphilis, nearly eradicated in the 1990s, has resurged due to years of underfunding public health, compounded by rising substance use and the mental health crisis.
The CDC’s data for 2022 shows 207,255 syphilis cases across diverse demographic groups and regions, even impacting newborns. Congenital syphilis cases rose significantly, with over 3,700 infants born with syphilis in 2022, a tenfold increase over the past decade.
The most infectious stages of the disease, primary and secondary syphilis, saw a 10 percent increase in 2022 and a 68 percent surge since 2018.
Concerns are heightened as syphilis during pregnancy can lead to severe consequences, including stillbirth, miscarriage, infant death, and lifelong medical issues for both mother and baby. Prevention is straightforward with screening and treatment, but resources are a growing concern.
Public health officials worry about the lack of resources to combat the surge, particularly with health departments still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and the mumps outbreak. Congress’s potential cut of $400 million in public health workforce funds adds to the challenge.
The National Coalition of STD Directors warns of potential layoffs of approximately 800 disease intervention specialists if Congress proceeds with the cuts.
Racial and ethnic minorities, especially Black Americans and Native American/Alaska Native people, are disproportionately affected. The urgent need for funding and intervention is underscored by the potential impact on vulnerable communities.
As the U.S. grapples with a record-setting syphilis epidemic, experts stress the necessity of adequate resources and funding to curb its impact on public health.
