But, MSM wasnt the only group affected.
Rates are also rising among heterosexual people.
For all stages of infections,penicillinsare the treatment of choice.
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This includes benzathine penicillin for primary and secondary syphilis andpenicillin Gfor tertiary syphilis.
Syphilis isdiagnosedwith blood tests.
How Syphilis Is Transmitted
Treponema pallidum, the bacteria that causes syphilis, only exists in humans.
It can also penetrate theblood-brain barrierand invade thecentral nervous system.
Syphilis can also be passed vertically during pregnancy (from the pregnant person to the fetus).
Even so, this is less common in the United States due to routineprenatal STI screeningof pregnant people.
Neither kissing nor the shared use of needles is considered a viable means of transmission.
By the tertiary stage, syphilis is no longer infectious.
How Common Is Syphilis?
In 2022, 207,255 cases of syphilis were reported, of which 59,016 were primary and secondary syphilis.
During the same period, the rate increased by 19% among females.
Rising Rates
Since 2018, the rate of new syphilis cases has increased by almost 79%.
This is especially true of Black, Latinx, and Native American people in the United States.
For primary and secondary syphilis, these factors translate to disproportionately high infection rates among different communities.
This suggests that the syphilis epidemic among heterosexuals is increasing at a faster pace than MSM.
Congenital Syphilis
While congenital syphilis has become less common in the United States, it still occurs.
That is more than ten times the number of cases reported in 2012.
As with adult infections, the rate of congenital syphilis is dramatically higher in communities of color.
Infection occurs as a result of direct contact with a chancre.
Studies suggest that, when used consistently, condoms can reduce the risk of syphilis by around 90%.
What Are the Mortality Rates for Syphilis?
Before the widespread use of penicillin, syphilis was a major cause of death and disability worldwide.
The deaths that do occur are largely the result of congenital syphilis.
Blood tests are ultimately needed to confirm the diagnosis.
Testing can also help determine if the infection is recent or occurred in the past.
It is rare for syphilis to kill you, but it can occur.
Although rare, tertiary syphilis is fatal in anywhere from 8% to 58% of cases.
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