Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Reuters NewMedia - October 31, 2002
Paul Simao

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is spearheading a national campaign to eradicate the sexually transmitted disease, said it was not surprised by the rise in infections.

"We've been trying to sound this alarm for about 24 months," Dr. Ronald Valdiserri, deputy director of the CDC's National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, said in a teleconference.

"I think what we're seeing is very much related to a sea change in communities' perceptions about sexual risk and sexual health," said Valdiserri, who noted that syphilis infections had increased 63 percent in white men and 50 percent in Latino men between 2000 and 2001.

CDC officials worry that the upswing in syphilis, which last peaked in 1990, could signal a resurgence in HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Studies have shown that syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases increase the likelihood of HIV infection. Up to 70 percent of gay and bisexual men infected in recent syphilis outbreaks have tested positive for HIV.

In addition to helping spread HIV, untreated syphilis can cause arthritis, heart disease, insanity and death as well as miscarriages, stillbirths and severe infections in newborn babies.

There were 2.2 cases of primary and secondary syphilis reported for every 100,000 people in 2001, up from 2.1 cases per 100,000 the year before, according to the CDC. The total number of cases was 6,103, which represented a 2 percent increase from the prior year.

Primary and secondary syphilis are the initial stages of the disease, when it can be cured with antibiotics. The rate of tertiary syphilis, the final and most destructive stage of the disease, was not available.

Despite the rising syphilis rate, the CDC said it was encouraged by data showing sharp reductions in infections among women and blacks, two groups that traditionally suffer from higher rates of the disease.

Infections declined by about 10 percent among blacks and by 19.5 percent among women between 2000 and 2001.

The CDC said it was sticking with its goal of reducing primary and secondary syphilis to fewer than 1,000 cases by 2005, representing a nationwide infection rate of 0.4 percent per 100,000 people.

The agency also wants to increase the number of syphilis-free counties to at least 90 percent by 2005. In 2001, 80 percent of all counties were syphilis-free. Southern states accounted for 56 percent of all the cases.

Health officials generally recommend abstinence, the use of condoms and the reduction of risky behavior, such as having sex with anonymous partners, as ways to prevent the transmission of syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases.

021031
RE021040

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2002. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2002. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .