2024-02-01 20:30:06
At the end of January 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published their annual report on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States. “Once once more, more than 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis have been reported in the United States”, write the country’s public health officials, visibly worried. During the year 2022, chlamydia was the most widespread infection in the territory.
But what concerns health authorities the most is the increase in the number of cases of syphilis, a very contagious STI that can cause serious health problems. The number of cases, all stages combined, has increased by 80% over the last five years, says ScienceAlert. The disease is transmitted during sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal or oral). It progresses in stages, usually starting with sores around the mouth or genitals. The secondary stage causes skin rashes and flu-like symptoms. It is during these two stages that contagion is most likely. The third stage can prove fatal.
Babies particularly affected
“While most people think of adults getting STIs, syphilis also threatens the lives of babies”, underlines the media. Indeed, the disease can be transmitted by a pregnant mother to her fetus via her placenta, but also during childbirth, by contact with genital lesions. This is called “congenital syphilis”. As of 2022, more than 3,700 of these cases have been officially reported in the United States. In just one year, they increased by 31%, and African American babies were disproportionately affected.
This STI is curable with antibiotics. But unfortunately, until the infection is diagnosed, it can cause irreversible damage to the body. “In babies, syphilis is particularly dangerous, sometimes leading to developmental delays, seizures, and even death,” with en garde ScienceAlert. “These infections led to 282 stillbirths and infant deaths in 2022”, explains Laura Bachmann, CDC director for STI prevention. According to her, the country’s situation in this area has reached a critical stage: “We must act now to repair the broken pots”asks the expert.
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