Syphilis Testing

STD rates in SF continue to climb

2011-02-02T21:01:00.001-08:00

According to preliminary data the Department of Public Health released last week, the number of cases of Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and early syphilis all increased last year compared to the number of cases reported in 2009.

Overall reported Chlamydia increased from 4,171 to 4,591 cases (a rise of 10 percent) while male rectal Chlamydia increased in 2010 from 740 to 913 cases for a 23.4 percent annual increase. Reported gonorrhea cases increased 9.8 percent from 1,787 in 2009 to 1,963 in 2010.

Additionally, rectal gonorrhea among men also increased from 448 cases to 476 cases, a 6.3 percent year-to-year increase. After recent declines in early syphilis seen in 2008, early syphilis cases sharply increased by 27.4 percent in 2010, from 519 cases to 661. The total number of all syphilis cases last year was 764 compared to 632 in 2009.

The final tallies for STD rates will not be known until later this year with the publication of the 2010 Annual Summary.

As the Bay Area Reporter reported last November, health officials are at a loss to explain what is driving the spikes in STDs. The city's STD chief, Dr. Susan Philip, noted at the time that STD rates historically have fluctuated and the current incidents could be due to more people getting tested.

At the same time Philip has seen her budget slashed due to the city and country's ongoing fiscal crisis. With less staffing, she has turned to using social media to supplement the work her section is doing.

Health officials recommend all sexually active gay and bisexual men be tested for STDs every three to six months. Additionally, all women 25 years old and younger should be screened for Chlamydia at least annually.

Syphilis Infections On The Rise

2010-11-28T18:46:00.000-08:00

Reports of syphilis contraction are on the rise, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a report released on Tuesday, the CDC says that there has been a 39 percent increase in the amount of people who contracted the disease from 2006 to 2009, with most new cases appearing in young black men.

Rise in syphilis prompts education forum

2010-11-21T16:42:00.000-08:00

The community forum, to be held on Wednesday, November 24, will explore the complex issues around prevention, risk reduction, testing and notifying partners.

Recent figures indicate that in the year to March 2009, approximately 750 diagnoses of syphilis were made in Australia. Experts believe that the numbers are considerably higher.

A panel of specialists will be on hand to provide up-to-date information and available to respond to questions. Among them are ACON’s Geoff Honnor and Dr Fraser Drummond from the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research.

Syphilis: Top 5 Symptoms

2010-11-14T17:52:00.000-08:00

The entire lifecycle of syphilis has five parts: primary syphilis, secondary syphilis, latent syphilis, tertiary syphilis, and neurosyphilis. Each of these five stages has symptoms that can be diagnosed independently.

The primary stage of syphilis, which occurs due to sexual contact with an infected individual, includes skin lesions or ulcers generally on the genitalia of the infected individual, but can also occur at any other location on the body. These syphilis ulcers, referred to as chancre, are firm and painless even though they may persist for four to seven weeks.

Columbus cleared of bringing syphilis to Europe

2010-11-03T17:19:00.000-07:00

A long-held theory has it that Christopher Columbus and his crew returned to Europe in 1493 from their trip to the Americas bringing syphilis with them, and research reported in PhysOrg in 2008 also suggested Columbus was to blame. Now an excavation of skeletons in a London cemetery has unearthed seven skeletons that suggest the disease was present in Europe nearly two centuries earlier.

U.S. apologizes for experiment that infected Guatemalans with syphilis

2010-10-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

The United States apologized to Guatemala on Friday for a 1940s research program in which Guatemalans were intentionally infected with the sexually transmitted disease syphilis without their knowledge or consent.

Between 1946 and 1948, the agency then known as the U.S. Public Health Service infected Guatemalan sex workers, prison inmates, and mental health patients with syphilis. The program was conducted in order to examine whether penicillin, relatively new at the time, could be used to treat the disease. It was led by John Cutler, the U.S. doctor who later led the infamous Tuskegee experiment, in which African American men in Alabama infected with syphilis were observed without receiving treatment.

Guidelines for treatment of syphilis in patients with HIV have very poor evidence base

2010-10-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

Current guidelines for the treatment of syphilis in patients with HIV are based on limited clinical data, investigators show in the online edition of Sexually Transmitted Infections.

Even though their systematic review had broad inclusion criteria, they were only able to identify 23 studies examining the outcomes of HIV-positive patients treated for syphilis. Only two of these studies were rated as “high quality” by the investigators.

Rates of treatment failure varied considerably, and were as high as 31% for latent syphilis. However, the investigators believe that confounding factors rather than the poor efficacy of treatment are the likely explanation for this.

Syphilis claiming Alberta babies

2010-10-17T18:45:00.000-07:00

Strategies to stymie a rising tide of syphilis cases that have killed four Alberta babies at birth in the past two years are being reviewed, says a provincial health official.

Alberta's syphilis rate -- 7.4 cases per 100,000 people in 2009 -- is the highest in the nation and has led to the deaths of four babies, three of them in the Edmonton area, said the province's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Andre Corriveau.

"They were stillborn -- it's one of the complications of the exposure before birth," said Corriveau.

City has highest rate in region for gonorrhoea and syphilis

2010-09-15T17:01:00.000-07:00

NOTTINGHAM has the highest rate in the East Midlands for sexually transmitted infections including chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and herpes.

Figures released by the Health Protection Agency shows the city's rate of gonorrhoea is more than twice as high as anywhere else in the region.

For every 100,000 people in Nottingham, 119.4 have the disease, compared to 47.2 in Derby and 13.2 in Leicester.

The only area in which Nottingham is not highest in the East Midlands is chlamydia rates among 15 to 24-year-olds.

Ohio sees increase in syphilis cases

2010-09-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

Syphilis in Hamilton County is a growing problem that could get out of control.

Dr. Larry Holditch is the Medical Director of the Cincinnati Health Department and says there are two reasons for the outbreak.

"Providers aren't thinking about syphilis. People are going to the doctor with rashes and some of the symptoms of syphilis and aren't getting diagnosed. If you're not diagnosed than you can spread it to others," Holditch said.

Syphilis has made a comeback in China

2010-09-03T17:24:00.001-07:00

According to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine on May 6, 2010 that on an average over one baby is being born with congenital syphilis in China for a total of 9480 cases in 2008. About 50% of babies conceived by women with syphilis die before they are born. Of those born alive about 50% will die in the first year of life unless adequately treated. The first and only newborn seen by the writer was in the Denver Children’s Hospital. It is a very rare disease in this country at this time.

Doctors Diagnose Girl, 3, With Syphilis

2010-08-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

A 3-year-old girl has been diagnosed with a deadly sexual disease.

Stunned doctors discovered the toddler had syphilis after her worried parents noticed sores on her body.

The condition can only be contracted through sexual contact — and last night an urgent probe was under way into how the toddler from Glasgow, Scotland, had become infected.

Her seven brothers and sisters have been taken into custody while police and social workers investigate.

Syphilis can cause paralysis, dementia and death, but it is easy to cure with antibiotics. Often, a person doesn’t know they have the disease, which is why it is easy to transmit.

Syphilis Cases Rising in Fairfield County

2010-08-19T17:32:00.000-07:00

Syphilis is on the rise in Fairfield County.

That's according to the latest statistics released by the state Department of Public Health, which also reports that among the most commonly reported sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia are on a decline in the county.

Syphilis Serious Problem Throughout Coachella Valley

2010-08-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

Syphilis is a big problem in the Coachella Valley - the area has one of the highest rates of the sexually transmitted disease in the country.

While it looks like the numbers are starting to go down, Riverside County health officials say it's still early in the year and some cases may have not been reported yet.

Groups across the Coachella Valley are fighting the statistics. In Desert Hot Springs, teens like Aliana Rodriguez serve as peer mentors to educate their friends and classmates about teen pregnancy and STDs.

Syphilis: Beware and Be Tested!

2010-08-05T17:21:00.001-07:00

So, it has been awhile since I have talked about one of the fastest spreading infections in Utah: syphilis.

Interestingly, syphilis was once thought to be eradicated. It had its time back in the 1930s and 1940s and was so noteworthy that it generated one of the first public health interventions at the hands of the U.S. Public Health Services. Syphilis cases were so endemic in many communities in the United States that at one point in the ’40s, an estimated on- in-four black men in the South were infected. Syphilis was also behind one of the worst moments in the history of U.S. public health services: the Tuskeegee syphilis experiments, in which health workers withheld penicillin (which can cure syphilis) from black people with the disease who were participating in a study.

Syphilis And The Problems Of False Diagnosis

2010-07-29T04:39:00.000-07:00

Syphilis infection is one of the “silent killers” that have been ravaging the Nigerian population, The incidence of syphilis in recent years has so increased that it should command the same amount of official attention as HIV and malaria. The disease is deadly because by the time any serious signs/symptoms begin to become noticeable it has damaged many body tissues/organs simultaneously, e.g. brain, spinal vertebrae, heart, bones, etc. and it may take about 5-20 years for many serious signs/symptoms to be noticed. Clinical experience has indicated that many psychiatric patients currently in hospitals or roamingg the streets as lunatics as well as many men and women having infertility conditions, may be at various stages of syphilis infection. All hands must be on deck to highlight these problems and solve them too.

Utah: Rate of Syphilis Cases on the Rise

2010-07-15T18:59:00.000-07:00

Barely halfway through 2010, the 40 syphilis cases logged by Salt Lake County health officials have topped the 2009 total of 37, putting the county on track to double its caseload of the STD by year's end.

Rate of syphilis cases on the rise

2010-07-10T19:33:00.000-07:00

The Salt Lake Valley Health Department is warning men who have sex with men that they are at risk of contracting syphilis, which is easily transmitted and can be deadly if left untreated.

“We need to sound the alarm,” said Lynn Beltran, who oversees sexually transmitted disease programs for the Salt Lake Valley Health Department. “Men engaging in sexual activity with other men need to realize this is out there.”

Rising cases of syphilis a 'severe' health issue

2010-06-26T05:31:00.000-07:00

The number of syphilis cases in the country rose rapidly over the past decade and the risk of contracting syphilis is widespread, health authorities warned.

The Ministry of Health issued a 10-year working plan on Monday for syphilis prevention and control, targeting high-risk groups such as prostitutes, gay men and those engaged in extramarital sex.

Syphilis is an infectious disease that can cause damage to the nerves and cardiovascular system. It can be transmitted via sex and blood, as well as from mother to baby in the womb.

UAB led trial finds more efficient treatment for syphilis

2010-06-02T14:22:00.000-07:00

Edward W. Hook, III, M.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), published the results of a seven year trial of azithromycin as an alternate to benzathine penicillin for the treatment of early stage syphilis on June, 1 2010...

Syphilis cases rise sharply in China

2010-05-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

China has seen a dramatic rise in cases of syphilis, as a result of rapid social change, US researchers say.

A report in the New England Journal of Medicine says syphilis is now the most commonly reported communicable disease in Shanghai, the second-largest city.

Pregnant women are also increasingly passing the disease to their children, with more than one baby with congenital syphilis born every hour in 2008.

Syphilis Epidemic Surfaces with China’s Growing Economy

2010-05-07T07:21:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, researchers have revealed that every year in China, at least one child is born with syphilis, since new capital from the nation's budding financial system stimulates the world's swiftest mounting outbreak of the ailment.

According to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), about 50 years back, Syphilis was nearly mopped out in China, but now, it is the most frequently accounted sexually transmitted sickness in Shanghai.

Dramatic Increase in Infant Syphilis Cases

2010-04-21T18:24:00.001-07:00

The number of babies born with syphilis is sharply on the rise after 14 years of declines, the CDC reported.

Congenital syphilis cases jumped 23% from 2005 to 2008 (8.2 to 10.1 cases per 100,000 live births), found J.R. Su, MD, of the CDC's National Center for HIV, Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues.

The reason appeared to be a 38% increase in the rate of primary and secondary syphilis among women ages 10 and older from 2004 to 2007, they wrote in the April 16 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

More U.S. babies born with syphilis, report finds

2010-04-15T14:25:00.001-07:00

The troubling trend reverses a 14-year decline and shows the infection, already on the uptick among gay and bisexual men, is worsening in the heterosexual community, the team at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

If a woman is infected with syphilis while pregnant, her baby can be born dead, deaf, with other nerve damage or bone deformities. Antibiotic treatment at least a month before birth can prevent that.

Rise in syphilis, cuts in funding a worry in Philadelphia

2010-04-03T19:37:00.001-07:00

A spike in syphilis cases and sharp cuts in state funding to Philadelphia for HIV/AIDS are presenting a challenge to public-health workers tasked with preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Infectious syphilis rose 45 percent in the city last year, with far greater increases among women - a group whose reported cases, while still small, barely registered until recently.

CRUSH: Facebook in the Time of Syphilis

2010-03-26T13:10:00.001-07:00

Can you get Syphilis from Facebook? According to a public health report in Britain, you can blame social media networks for the recent rise in disease cases by making it easier for individuals to meet up for casual sex.

CDC: MSMs Hardest Hit by HIV, Syphilis

2010-03-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

A new analysis from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention reaffirms previously studies that show that younger MSMs (men who have sex with men), which includes gay and bisexual men, are particularly hard-hit by STDs like HIV and syphilis.

MSMs in America are 44 times more likelythan men in the general population to become infected with HIV, and 40 times more likely than women in general, the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services announced. Syphilis rates for MSMs were 46 times greater than for other men, and 71 times greater than the rate of infection among women in general.

Alarming HIV and syphilis rates causes a call to action

2010-03-12T15:37:00.000-08:00

At The National STD Prevention Conference in Atlanta this week the brow-raiser was the connection between HIV, syphilis, and men who have sex with men (MSM). Data was presented about the rate of HIV and syphilis diagnoses that showed a disproportionate impact among gay and bisexual men. According to the Center for Disease Control, new HIV diagnoses among MSM is more than 44 times that of other men and more than 40 times that of women. The rate of primary and secondary syphilis among MSM is more than 46 times that of other men and more than 71 times that of women.

Syphilis crisis must be recognized, fought properly Self-righteous sermons won't solve problem

2010-03-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

There's a killer loose in Alberta. A serial killer, who maims adults, but kills babies. This stealthy stalker preys on newborns -- and has brought about the deaths of eight infants in the last five years.

Desert AIDS Project launches syphilis education campaign

2010-02-20T17:30:00.000-08:00

Desert AIDS Project has launched a new syphilis education and prevention campaign in the Coachella Valley encouraging gay men to get tested for syphilis, the non-profit group announced this afternoon.

Syphilis surge prompts new campaign

2010-02-13T05:50:00.000-08:00

An increase in syphilis in Australian gay men, particularly in inner Sydney, has prompted ACON to launch a new campaign urging gay men to get tested for the potentially fatal STI.

Approximately 750 diagnoses were made in Australia in the year to March, 2009, with actual numbers thought to be considerably higher and infection rates rising.

The data has led ACON to develop a new campaign to encourage gay men to get tested for the disease, and to notify their partners if they have been infected.

Syphilis testing in third trimester recommended for pregnant women

2010-01-30T12:35:00.001-08:00

If a pregnant woman has syphilis, her sexually transmitted disease can maim or even kill her newborn. Now, local doctors are being urged to test for the infection late in pregnancy.

Shannon Goodman is in her third trimester, expecting her second child, a baby girl, in April. Like most pregnant women, she was tested for the sexually transmitted disease syphilis in her first trimester. Now, local health officials are encouraging doctors to repeat the simple blood test late in pregnancy. That’s because women can catch it while they’re expecting.

Syphilis cases in newborns rising

2010-01-09T06:25:00.000-08:00

Cases of syphilis in newborns have been rising in Bexar County, Texas, said local health officials who recommend third-trimester testing.

Sixteen cases of syphilis in newborns were reported in the county during 2008 and the first six months of 2009, the most recent information available. Two of the babies were stillborn, the San Antonio Express-News reported Monday.

105 newborns test positive for syphilis - Fiji Times Online

2009-11-20T15:09:00.000-08:00

"A child as young as five years old was treated for sexually transmitted infection.

Fiji's National Adviser on Family Health, Dr Josaia Samuela said according to national records three children between the ages of five to nine were treated for STI last year.

He said records also show that 105 newborns tested positive for syphilis over the past 3 years."

When More Money = More Syphilis - Freakonomics Blog - NYTimes.com

2009-11-14T16:33:00.000-08:00

"Over the last decade, the number of syphilis cases in China increased tenfold, according to this Associated Press report, because more migrant workers have been able to afford to hire prostitutes. The A.P. further reports that the “stigma and perceived high cost of visiting sexual health clinics” in China is hampering prevention and treatment efforts. In the U.S., meanwhile, police informants are paid well to become johns."

Prostitutes, Migrant Workers Spur Syphilis in China (Update1) - Bloomberg.com

2009-11-06T06:45:00.000-08:00

"Cases of syphilis are rising about 30 percent a year in China, spread mainly by poorly educated migrant workers and prostitutes, a health official from the world’s most populous nation said in a report."

Syphilis survey reveals need for accurate testing for early infection

2009-10-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

"Although syphilis is one of the oldest known diseases, most health professionals do not have access to the tests necessary to reliably diagnose it in its earliest and most infectious stage. A recent survey of infectious diseases specialists regarding the diagnosis and treatment of syphilis appears in the November 15, 2009 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday : newsday.co.tt :

2009-10-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

"The “Regional Initiative for the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Congenital Syphilis in Latin America and the Caribbean ” is supported by PAHO and UNICEF with inputs from all the major stakeholders including national governments, NGOs and other UN agencies. The Caribbean has taken the lead and is moving ahead with the involvement of the health sectors of the broader Caribbean with support from the CARICOM Secretariat, PAHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS and the UNFPA, under coordination of the PAHO HIV Caribbean Office (PHCO)."

Syphilis cases on the rise in Marion County | Ocala.com | Star-Banner | Ocala, FL

2009-10-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

"In a news release issued Friday evening, the Marion County Health Department said the number of confirmed cases of syphilis in Marion is up significantly.

The department has confirmed 14 cases so far this year; there were only eight during all of 2008, the release said.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that has several stages. Symptoms appear within one to 12 weeks after sex, the release said. 'The only way to know if a person has syphilis is a syphilis test.'"

‘Live better’ with Syphilis test | The State Press - An independent daily serving Arizona State University

2009-10-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

"Wal-Mart and McDonald’s — icons of American business, archenemies of mom and pop businesses everywhere and havens to penny pinchers — are taking on a new role: syphilis fighters.

Due to a tripling of STDs since 2008 in Forsyth County, N.C., an unlikely partnership between the American super chains and local health officials has emerged, according to Brian Alexander’s MSNBC article, “New tool to fight syphilis? Wal-Mart gift cards.”"

New tool to fight syphilis? Wal-Mart gift cards - Sexploration - msnbc.com

2009-09-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

"It just keeps coming back. For more than 60 years, syphilis was largely on the decline. But in recent years, the venereal disease has been on the rise again — particularly in the post-recession South."

Syphilis: it's back!

2009-09-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

"When people think of syphilis, they think of an old school disease that isn't really around anymore. This couldn't be further from the truth. Syphilis is very sneaky and easily spread, leading to a recent resurgence. Syphilis is a bacterial STD, or sexually transmitted disease, which means that it can be cured with antibiotics. If caught early enough it can be wiped out with one to three shots of bicillin. If caught late, it's a little more complicated."

STDs That Show on Your Face - Men's Health - FOXNews.com

2009-08-28T14:52:00.000-07:00

"Syphilis is caused by infection of the Treponema pallidum bacterium and is spread by direct sexual contact (including oral) with an individual with infectious syphilis lesions (called chancres). These chancres usually appear about three to six weeks after sex at the site of sexual contact, usually the genitals, during what is called primary syphilis. Secondary syphilis symptoms appear about 4 to 10 weeks after the appearance of primary lesions if the infection is left untreated and tertiary symptoms may appear after that. Treatment can be successfully achieved using antibiotics."

Syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia cases double in a decade | News | Nursing Times

2009-08-01T05:13:00.000-07:00

"Clinics in Scotland have seen the number of cases of STIs almost double in a decade, official NHS figures show.

Incidents of diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia have increased from 12,077 in 1998 to 23,171 in 2008, according to NHS figures

The workload at genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics increased 16% last year, with staff diagnosing 9,332 cases of genital chlamydia and 7,360 cases of genital warts."

News - Most Patients With HIV Respond Well to Syphilis Therapy: Presented at IAS

2009-07-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

"Patients with HIV coinfected with syphilis respond well to treatment for syphilis, according to a retrospective analysis presented here at the 5th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention."

FriendFeed Promises Penicillin For The “Syphilis” — We Sign Up Again

2009-07-17T14:27:00.000-07:00

"So. Maybe you read Michael’s rant about FriendFeed being like syphilis. His point was that its brilliant technology which facilitates real-time discussions is also perfect for mobs. Mobs that rally around hot topics, and get whipped up into saying fairly awful things about people they don’t really know. I’ve written similar things in the past as well. Anyways, a mob situation came up led to us pulling our FriendFeed account."

Infected and untreated, prostitutes behind Knox County syphilis outbreak » Knoxville News Sentinel

2009-07-10T13:32:00.000-07:00

"Dozens of Knoxville’s street-level prostitutes are infected with syphilis or HIV and many of them don’t even know it, according to the Knox County Health Department.

Even when prostitutes do know that they’re potentially spreading a lethal disease and might face a stiff prison term for it, many continue plying their trade from the sidewalks of North and East Knoxville with little concern for themselves, their customers or the innocent who might end up infected, said Gary Messer, who does public outreach for the Health Department."

Syphilis, malaria rampant 'because of testing problems'

2009-07-03T06:50:00.000-07:00

"The elimination of killer diseases such as congenital syphilis and malaria is still a long way off, due to the diagnostics landscape in the developing world, researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said today"

Jefferson County syphilis cases on record pace >> www.beaumontenterprise.com - Local

2009-06-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

"With 140 reported syphilis cases in the first five months of the year, Jefferson County could break last year's record number of cases.

The latest syphilis numbers were released Thursday at a news conference launching a campaign to combat the regional spike in the disease.

'Syphilis has been on the rise nationally and our community is no exception,' said Ingrid Holmes, Beaumont Health Department director. 'We want people to know what it is and what the signs and symptoms are.'"

Lothians a syphilis 'hot spot' as infections among gay men soar - Scotsman.com News

2009-06-18T18:19:00.000-07:00

"A THIRD of the country's cases of syphilis are currently in the Lothians, new figures revealed today.
According to statistics released by Health Protection Scotland there were 79 cases in the area in 2008, reaffirming the Lothians as a hot spot for sexually transmitted diseases."

Forsyth County number one in N.C. syphilis cases · Q-Notes - Carolinas’ premier LGBT news source - In Print, Online

2009-06-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

"A county in the Piedmont-Triad area of North Carolina is number one for syphilis cases, The Winston-Salem Journal reported on June 5.

Forsyth County, whose county seat is Winston-Salem, reported 70 cases of the infection from January 2009 to May 22, 2009. That’s a significant jump from 2008’s 48 reported cases and 2007’s 31.

The 2009 number are preliminary figures from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services epidemiology division."

Forsyth tops N.C. in syphilis cases

2009-06-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

"Forsyth County has more new cases of syphilis than any other county in the state this year, according to preliminary figures from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services' epidemiology section.

From the beginning of January through May 22, 70 syphilis cases were reported to the Forsyth County Department of Public Health. Forty-four of those were diagnosed as primary and secondary syphilis, a stage of the disease when it is most infectious."

What's syphilis again?

2009-05-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

"When I hook up it’s via a virtual burlesque of unlocked pictures, innuendo-laden instant messages and GPS-oriented texts.

When I got the call from the BC Centre for Disease Control saying that I had been in contact with syphilis, I was less concerned with by whom than who knew my phone number? I struggle with it myself.

“What’s syphilis again? I haven’t been in contact with it since it was called VD.”

I scrolled through my call display trying to figure out who gave my number to the BCCDC when it occurred to me: perhaps I was the one spreading syphilis."

USPSTF Recommends Syphilis Screening for All Pregnant Women

2009-05-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

"The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has reaffirmed its 2004 recommendation to screen all pregnant women for syphilis infection. The updated recommendation statement and an accompanying review of the underlying evidence are published in the May issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

'In 2004, the USPSTF reviewed the evidence on screening for syphilis in pregnant women,' write Ned Calonge, MD, MPH, from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in Denver, and colleagues from the USPSTF, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, Maryland."

Rise in Syphilis Cases Due to Heterosexual Contact - Earlier rises associated with male-to-male transmission - Modern Medicine

2009-05-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

"Data on rates of syphilis in Jefferson County, Ala., indicate a re-emergence of the disease among women and heterosexual men, according to a report in the May 8 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Edward W. Hook, M.D., of the Jefferson County Department of Health in Birmingham, Ala., and colleagues report that, in common with national rates of syphilis, Jefferson County saw a substantial drop in the number of cases from 279 in 1995 to nine in 2002, but from 2002 to 2005 the number of cases began to rise significantly again, with 238 cases in 2006 and 166 cases in 2007."

Birmingham syphilis epidemic part of trend, CDC reports - Breaking News from The Birmingham News - al.com

2009-05-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

"The Birmingham area is making headway against its syphilis epidemic, and it appears that local public health officials recognized and responded early to a trend now sweeping the Southeast, according to an article released today by the Centers for Disease Control.

'Nobody's delighted that we have syphilis, but I think we're proud that we recognized it, we're on top of it and we're making substantial progress,'' said Dr. Edward W. Hook of UAB's division of infectious diseases and author of the CDC report. 'As a result, I think we're in better shape here than in some of our neighboring states.''"

Bone find shows early amputations

2009-05-01T09:04:00.000-07:00

"Bones found at a former hospital in Worcestershire show evidence of early amputations and other medical research, say archaeologists.

County council archaeologists were called in after workers building the new city university campus found about 200 bone pieces in a pit at the former Worcester Royal Infirmary site.

Former hospital ward at the old Worcester Royal Infirmary
The old hospital is being demolished to make way for a new campus

Simon Sworn, archaeologist and project officer, said many of the 19th Century bones had been deliberately cut and were 'evidence of amputations in their infancy'.

'Saw marks'

"There's evidence of research into varying diseases, such as syphilis, which was widespread at the time. There are bones that have been cut into where the disease had taken hold."

He said the bones could be linked to the work of Sir Charles Hastings, a medical surgeon and founder of the BMA.

Facts, Information, And Symptoms For the STD Syphilis | The Frisky

2009-04-29T12:39:00.000-07:00

"Syphilis is a mighty morphing STD that is hard to detect. Its symptoms don’t occur in a consistent order, but experts have narrowed them down to four stages. The primary stage is when a firm sore, called a chancre, appears around your lady parts. You can get one firm sore or many love bumps. They may dry out and heal, but you’re still stuck with the infection. The second stage includes on-and-off rash, fever, fatigue, aching, and sore throat. The third stage is the hidden stage, when symptoms don’t appear for years, as this STD attacks and progresses."

Health agencies going online to battle syphilis and AIDS - MontereyHerald.com :

2009-04-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

"As life moves to the Internet, a growing number of public health agencies are signing on to social networking sites — not to find friends, but to fight syphilis, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Public agencies in Ohio are among the latest to open accounts on online meeting sites in an effort to reach people who may have a sexually transmitted disease and need medical care.

Cleveland's health department opened accounts on two sites this week, and Cincinnati has plans to start an online effort in a couple of months. Columbus Public Health established a presence a year ago on Manhunt, a social networking site for gay men, and has since added other popular sites."

New York Urges STDS Prevention, Early Detection, Sexual Health

2009-04-22T14:16:00.000-07:00

"Preliminary data indicates that cases of early syphilis and chlamydia increased in New York State in 2008 compared with the previous year, prompting State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D., to issue a call for greater prevention and screening.

'Every day, an estimated 125 teenagers and young adults in New York State are diagnosed with chlamydia and 25 are diagnosed with gonorrhea,' said Commissioner Daines. 'National STD Awareness Month is a good time to remind New Yorkers that prevention and early detection are the best defenses against sexually transmitted disease (STDs).'"

In outbreak, syphilis cases see increase in Oklahoma | NewsOK.com

2009-04-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

"Four more cases of syphilis among young people have been reported to the state Health Department, and three are related to an outbreak linked to teen group sex parties.

The outbreak was reported three weeks ago after 10 teen cases were confirmed within a month. Officials now believe 13 cases this year are linked.

'They have connections to each other,” said Jan Fox, the Health Department’s chief of sexual transmitted disease services. 'Some reported group sex parties.”

The cases are among males and females ages 14 to 20 in multiple central Oklahoma counties."

Make No Mistake - Syphilis Can Be Serious

2009-04-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

"Make No Mistake - Syphilis Can Be Serious
Thursday April 2, 2009
Sexually transmitted diseases are found throughout the world, both in the modern world and in third world countries. One such STD is syphilis. Often without symptoms, syphilis can cause a variety of symptoms and if left untreated can even be fatal. Take a Look at this Syphilis Guide from the Men's Health site at About.com."

Fighting STDs through social networking

2009-04-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

"Health officials in Cleveland plan to use Facebook and other social networking Web sites to track down people possibly exposed to HIV or syphilis.

The city's health department will set up profiles on two popular gay meeting sites next week and plans to log on to Facebook later.

The profiles will allow the department to communicate with other users on the sites whose real names may not be known by their sexual partners."

Rise in syphilis cases has Genesee County health officials concerned - 3/29/09 - Flint News and Saginaw News - abc12.com

2009-04-01T14:11:00.000-07:00

Genesee County health officials are seeing an outbreak of syphilis across the area, with more than 100 new cases reported last year alone.

The problem is startling and the numbers are soaring. The health department started noticing a rise in the number of cases about a year ago.

'Many people are not aware that it is still out there,' said Mark Valacak of the Genesee County Health Department. 'If you are sexually active, you are at risk for this disease.'"

Teenage Syphilis outbreak - KFOR

2009-04-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

The Oklahoma State Health Department has identified an outbreak of syphilis that is spreading among teenagers younger than 18 years of age. Syphilis is a bacterial infection; primarily spread through sexual contact and it can be deadly.

For all of 2008, there were just 15 reported cases of syphilis in teenagers younger than 18, but in the last four weeks, there have already been 10 cases reported.

The State Health Department's Jan Fox, who is the chief of HIV/STD Service, says parents should talk to their kids about their sexual activity because many of them don't know they're infected."

Group sex parties tied to syphilis cases - MarketWatch

2009-03-27T10:07:00.000-07:00

"Group sex parties tied to syphilis cases

Group sex parties may have led to an Oklahoma syphilis outbreak among teenagers, including two who learned they had syphilis and HIV, health officials said.
'We are still looking to see if (sex parties and syphilis) are related and how they are related,' Jan Fox, chief of sexual transmitted disease services for Oklahoma's Health Department, told The Oklahoman."

Reported cases of STDs - such as chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhoea - double. - swissinfo

2009-03-27T10:02:00.000-07:00

Cases of STDs double
The rate at which the Swiss are contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) has increased dramatically since 1999, the Federal Health Office said on Thursday.

Reported cases of chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhoea have doubled, even tripled, among the Swiss, although the higher figures probably do not reflect an equivalent increase in unprotected sex.

Between 2003 and 2008, the number of reported chlamydia cases increased from 3,493 to 6,178. There have already been 1,249 cases reported for 2009 – 54 more cases than for the same period last year."

The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK - Recent surge of syphilis infections in state alarming

2009-03-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

"Recent surge of syphilis infections in state alarming

The news about a recent teen outbreak of syphilis in Oklahoma is almost hard to imagine.

But, unfortunately, it’s apparently very real and also reveals a growing problem we’re sure most parents are unaware of.

Ten teenagers have been diagnosed with syphilis in central Oklahoma over the last four weeks. That’s bad enough. However, some of the cases appear to be arising from parties where young people are having unprotected group sex."

Martlet.ca | The University of Victoria's Independent Newspaper

2009-03-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

"B.C. leads Canada in newly-reported syphilis cases

What did Al Capone, Hitler, Ivan the Terrible, Mussolini, Gauguin and possibly even Nietzsche have in common? Syphilis.

Syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI), has had a long and mysterious history since its first documented case in 1494. The culprit, a spiral-shaped bacterium called Treponema pallidum defies its tiny, unassuming size in order to wreak havoc within our bodies. Its symptoms often range from unsightly genital ulcers and nasty full-body rashes with flu-like symptoms, to dementia, paralysis and death."

Syphilis remains problem in Miss. | clarionledger.com | The Clarion-Ledger

2009-03-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

"Syphilis remains problem in Miss.
Department of Health is gaining ground on infant mortality rate

State Health Officer Dr. Ed Thompson has seen progress on the dozen goals he made when he took over as state health officer in 2007.

But one problem still haunts him - control of syphilis. 'We have to keep struggling with that,' he said. 'At least we're not in the top 10 anymore.'

Under Thompson's predecessor, Dr. Brian Amy, Mississippi saw increases in tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases and infant mortality."

Syphilis rates rise in Minnesota | International Falls Daily Journal

2009-03-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

"Syphilis rates rise in Minnesota

Koochiching County public health director also concerned about county’s rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea

Health officials are expressing concern over the recent rise in syphilis cases in Minnesota.

Locally, Koochiching County Public Health Director Susan Congrave is also concerned about the rise in not only syphilis, but the overall increase in cases of all sexually transmitted infections. She noted that Koochiching County has also seen a significant increase in the cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea."

Genital ulcer in a vacationing patient - Cortlandt Forum

2009-03-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

Genital ulcer in a vacationing patient - Cortlandt Forum: "Mr. L, 62 years old, came to see me about a superficial “sore” on the shaft of his penis. The sore had first appeared about a month ago while Mr. L was on a three-week visit to relatives in Florida. He thought his penis might have gotten stuck in his zipper. A physician in Florida had already prescribed two courses of antibiotics. The initial medication was a first-generation cephalosporin. When that treatment was unsuccessful, the physician recommended a tetracycline derivative, presumably to cover possible community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus."

St. Paul Legal Ledger

2009-03-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

St. Paul Legal Ledger: "Early syphilis cases were up 40 percent in Minnesota in 2008, compared with a year earlier, and health officials are expressing concern over the rise.

Early syphilis, or infection of less than a year, is the most infectious stage of the disease.

Preliminary data from the Minnesota Department of Health show that 159 early syphilis cases were reported in 2008, compared to 114 cases in 2007. Of the cases in 2008, 97 percent were males, and new infections continued to be centered within the Twin Cities metropolitan area."

WTOL.com, Toledo's News Leader, News 11 | Cuyahoga County reports syphilis outbreak

2009-03-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

"CLEVELAND (WTOL) - The Cuyahoga County Health Department and several doctors meet with the media members on Wednesday to address a Syphilis outbreak throughout the county.

Cuyahoga County has seen a 400 percent jump in Syphilis cases. Eighty reported cases in just the last eight months.

Doctors are concerned about an epidemic-type outbreak that's including more and more young people."

JAMA -- Penicillin Treatment of Syphilis: Clearing Away the Shadow on the Land, February 18, 2009, Douglas 301 (7): 769

2009-03-03T14:13:00.000-08:00

"In the follow-up to a preliminary report on the use of penicillin for early syphilis, Mahoney and colleagues presented the promising posttreatment observations of the original patients studied for periods in excess of 300 days. They also reported information on the treatment of an additional 100 patients. The accompanying papers in the same issue of JAMA reported on the results obtained by the National Research Council's newly formed Penicillin Panel. Those preliminary results are presented for both early and late syphilis."

Beaumont Health Department reports large increase in syphilis cases | beaumont, department, health - Local News -

2009-03-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

"A significant increase in the number of confirmed syphilis cases is prompting the Beaumont Public Health Department to urge people to get tested for syphilis if they've engaged in risky sexual behavior or have tested positive for any other sexually transmitted disease, including gonorrhea, chlamydia or HIV.

The Health Department says statistics indicate new infections reached 225 cases from January through December 2008, compared to 109 cases in 2007 and only 11 cases in 2006."

The Maneater – Minnesota health dept. finds increase in syphilis

2009-03-03T14:10:00.000-08:00

"Preliminary data from the Minnesota Department of Health shows that the number of new syphilis cases in the state increased 40 percent from 2007 to 2008. But with 97 percent of the new cases seen in males, MDH officials are tying the rise to gay men, according to a news release.

The Department of Health reported that the new cases are centered within the Twin Cities metropolitan area, with over 23 percent of the new cases among 15-to 24-year-olds, but the University of Minnesota has yet to see the increase"

Michigan Messenger » Ingham County official: Increase of syphilis cases ‘alarming’

2009-02-28T11:24:00.000-08:00

Michigan Messenger » Ingham County official: Increase of syphilis cases ‘alarming’: "The Ingham County Health Department is raising concern over what it is terming an “alarming” increase in new syphilis cases reported since Jan. 1.

“We are alarmed,” said Renee Canady, deputy health officer of the Ingham County Health Department. But officials at the department, including Canady, stopped short of calling this uptick an “outbreak.”"

Syphilis spike linked to homosexual activity

2009-02-28T11:18:00.000-08:00

Syphilis spike linked to homosexual activity: "State health officials are reporting a spike in syphilis in Minnesota, with early cases up 40 percent in 2008 compared with the previous year and a sharp increase being linked to homosexual activity."