Why are syphilis cases increasing in the United States and around the world? Scientists have different explanations for this situation, which is a public health problem.
The publication of the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on sexually transmitted infections set off alarm bells. According to the institution’s figures, Syphilis cases have increased since 2017 at a worrying rate.
But not only that pathology is in focus. Striking increases were also noted in other venereal diseases in the United States, such as gonorrhea. Because? What did the COVID-19 pandemic have to do with it? And more importantly: what do we do to take care of ourselves?
CDC Data Reveals Syphilis Cases on the Rise
The CDC report collects statistics from 2017 to 2021 in the United States. With these data, the experts were able to draw trends regarding sexually transmitted diseases. And what they found was a very large increase.
The statistics revealed on the official website of the institution reported the following:
- While in 2017 there were 101,590 confirmed cases of syphilis, in 2021 that number rose to 176,713 patients.
- Gonorrhea cases went from 555,608 in 2017 to 710,151 in 2021.
- Chlamydiasis increased in the last reported year, from 1,579,885 cases in 2020 to 1,644,416 in 2021.
If we translate the information into percentages, we find that syphilis cases increase in the US at a rate of 74% in 4 years. During the same period, gonorrhea registered an advance of 28%.
The interpretation that CDC professionals make in the report attached to these statistics is that of a worrying trend. Especially, refers to the fact that there are minority groups that were more affectedsuch as men who have sex with other men. In them, the increase in diagnoses was notorious.
African Americans are present in approximately 30% of these reported cases. And gay and bisexual men account for a third of gonorrhea cases in 2021.
Since 2001, cases of primary and secondary syphilis have increased by 781% in the United States.
Are cases of syphilis increasing in the rest of the world?
For medical specialists, we are facing a syphilis pandemic in the new century. A review of the year 2016 already warned of the tendency of the problem to be located more strongly among the countries with less economic development.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every day there are 1 million people who contract a sexually transmitted disease that would be curable with proper treatment. Every year, 376 million new cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis are diagnosed on the planet.
For its part, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) launched in 2021 its Epidemiological review of syphilis in the Americas. There it is explained that Latin America and the Caribbean have registered a 0.7% increase in cases in the last 30 years.
In Europe, the trends were variable, but now they are coupled with the world reality. A publication from the University of Cambridge reports that, between 2000 and 2010, syphilis reduced its presence in European citizens. However, since 2010 the cases of syphilis increasegoing from 4.4 diagnoses in 1,000,000 people to 6.1 for the same amount of population in the last decade.
What role did the pandemic play?
The CDC report on the rise in venereal disease explains part of the process due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The infectious disease specialist Maria Alcaide expressed it clearly:
The COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to the increase in cases of sexually transmitted infections, as there was less access to education, tests and treatment.
A note published in the magazine Sexually Transmitted Diseases states that syphilis cases increase after the pandemic because it is an aggravating factor. In other words, there were already situations that favored contagion, but that were exacerbated by confinement and everything that came with it.
The authors highlight the situation of women. In them there was a notable increase in cases during confinement, which translated into more babies with congenital syphilis. It is assumed that the impossibility of moving freely to attend the controls in a timely manner precipitated the problem.
How do we take care of ourselves?
Taking care of sexually transmitted diseases is always a priority, despite the fact that we now know that syphilis cases are increasing. Measures that have already been scientifically proven reduce our risk of becoming infected and are within reach. We review some of them.
1. Use a condom
The condom is the most effective method available to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Of course, it is a prevention that is limited to the area covered by the condom.
That is why you have to take certain extra precautions if you practice oral sex, for example. You also have to know the correct way to place it, to maximize its efficiency.
Experts continue to emphasize that the condom is the center of preventive strategies. Indeed, the relaxation in its use is one of the explanations for why syphilis cases are increasing in the US.
2. Take the test
A syphilis infection can go undetected. The initial lesion is painless and sometimes remains hidden in the genitals or is ignored by the patient.
Given this reality, the blood test to detect the disease is very useful. There are situations in which analysis is promoted, as it is with pregnant women in their quarterly check-up. But if you have doubts, it is best to ask the doctor.
With a simple blood extraction it is possible to perform a biochemical test that, if positive, will allow early treatment. Syphilis is cured with known and effective antibiotics, such as penicillin.
3. Do not use drugs
Although it seems that they are distant realities from each other, the truth is that there is an association. According to studies, recreational drug users are among the groups most at risk of contracting syphilis. From the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine they recall that, according to their evidence, drug addiction is a risk factor for sexually transmitted diseases.
Once again, the CDC experts have commented in their report that the increase in the consumption of opioids in the United States is, in part, responsible for the increase in syphilis cases. All this is not to the detriment of the other deleterious effects that drugs have on physical and mental health.
A social responsibility
There is no single solution to reduce syphilis cases. and venereal diseases on the rise. CDC Urges Joint Action:
We can pick up the pieces in our quest to reverse the trends, moving forward with a new approach that uses holistic and coordinated care to address co-occurring epidemics and health disparities.
Find out and take care. Simple actions are those that prevent and those that improve the quality of life. Sexuality is one more aspect of health that can be lived with well-being and without risks.
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