The United States is dealing with “.out of controlAccording to the National Coalition of STD Directors, “The prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases.
The warning comes after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its annual data report on sexually transmitted diseases.
Public health officials’ outrage can be felt from the first sentence of the online announcement.
“Again” CDC website read“More than 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis have been reported in the United States.”
of Most common sexually transmitted diseases in the United States in 2022 Chlamydia has remained at the top of the list for years. Nevertheless, it is the recent rise in syphilis that is most worrying to health authorities.
According to data from the CDC, cases of all stages of syphilis have increased by 80% over the past five years.
Although most people think of sexually transmitted diseases as a disease that affects adults, syphilis can also be life-threatening to babies. When a child acquires syphilis from the mother during pregnancy or childbirth, it is known as syphilis. congenital syphilis.
In 2022, more than 3,700 of these cases were officially reported in the United States. This is an increase of 937% in 10 years.
The good news is that syphilis is Curable with appropriate antibiotics. The bad news is that until an infection is diagnosed and treated, it can cause irreparable damage to your body. In the case of a baby, Syphilis is especially dangeroussometimes leading to developmental delays, seizures, and even death.
In adults, syphilis It is spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex and tends to progress in stages. The primary stage usually causes pain around the mouth and genitals, while the secondary stage can include a rash on the body and flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, sore throat, and fatigue.
These first two stages are when the virus is most contagious. The disease rarely progresses to stage 3, where it affects organs and can be fatal.
The fact that early stage syphilis is increasing by about 10 percent per year is extremely worrying and threatens the health of infants across the country.
In just one year, cases of congenital syphilis increased by 31% in the United States. Black or African American children were disproportionately affected.
Nearly every state reported cases of congenital syphilis in 2022, with Texas, California, Arizona, Florida, and Louisiana accounting for 57% of all cases.
“Tragically.” write “These infections caused 282 stillbirths and infant deaths in 2022,” said Laura Bachmann, director of STD prevention at the CDC.
Such a dire outcome is not inevitable. Experts say 88% of these cases could have been prevented if syphilis testing and treatment had been done in a timely manner during pregnancy.
So why doesn’t it happen?
“The STI field has reached a tipping point,” Bachmann said. Continue.
“While we have known for some time that these infections are common, we have never faced such a severe impact from syphilis in recent decades. is diverting program resources and jeopardizing the health of people already disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections. We must move now to reverse infections. “Debris. ”
CDC officials said: to call We commend the “rapid innovation and collaboration” from all public health professionals who play a role in STI prevention.
Many health organizations have already begun to join their cause. National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), American Sexual Health Association, American Academy of Family Physiciansand National Association of Sexually Transmitted Disease Directors (NCSDDC).
“The CDC’s latest STI data shows that our nation is facing a rapidly worsening public health crisis, and real lives are at risk.” read Statement from NCSDDC.
“Sexually transmitted diseases, especially syphilis, will continue to spiral out of control until the administration and Congress provide communities with the funding they need to provide the most basic testing, treatment, and prevention services.”
President Biden is finalizing a multi-agency plan to combat the growing number of sexually transmitted disease cases in the United States, but funding for the effort remains unclear. remain uncertain.
Last year, NCSDDC Director David Harvey warned If President Biden continues to cut overall health funding, his efforts to prevent sexually transmitted diseases will inevitably fail.
“The Biden administration deserves praise for shining a spotlight on congenital syphilis, the most serious consequence of the nation’s sexually transmitted disease epidemic.” read NCSDDC’s latest announcements.
“But we also know that federal leadership is hollow when communities don’t have the resources they need to get the job done.”