Syphilis Resurgence Linked to COVID and Budget Cuts, CDC Reports

The CDC reports that syphilis cases in the US have reached the highest levels since the 1950s, with a total of 207,255 cases reported in 2022. The increase in syphilis cases is especially alarming for congenital syphilis, which rose by 30.6%. While chlamydia and gonorrhea rates either remained steady or declined, syphilis rates have been steadily increasing since 2012. The CDC attributes the rise in syphilis cases to a lack of testing and underreporting, possibly exacerbated by the focus on COVID-19 during the pandemic. The symptoms of syphilis in its infectious stages include sores, rashes, fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, and fatigue.