Syphilis cases shoot up in US; here's everything you need to know about the STD

Cases of syphilis, once on its way to being eradicated, are soaring in the US with numbers hitting levels not seen for 70 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More than 200,000 cases were recorded in 2022, the latest figures show, up 17% on the previous year. If left untreated, the disease can cause blindness and even death.

Here’s everything you need to know about the disease, its symptoms, how it’s diagnosed and how it’s treated.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum.

The infection spreads from person to person through direct contact with a syphilitic sore, knows as a chancre, which usually occurs around the sexual organs, anus, lips or mouth, according to the CDC. It can also be spread from pregnant women to their unborn babies, known as congenital syphilis.

One of the problems with syphilis is that it looks like many other diseases so it can be difficult to diagnose. Syphilis has four distinct stages and the earlier it’s diagnosed, the better. The primary stage, according to the CDC, is a sore on the point of entry to the body, which is usually round and painless and occurs on average 21 days after infection occurs. That sore will likely clear up, but without treatment the disease will progress to the secondary stage.

Stage two is usually a non-itchy rash on the hands and feet, which may be accompanied by symptoms including fever, sore throat, headaches, weight loss and fatigue. Again, without treatment it can progress to stage three — the latent stage — where the infection can remain undetected in the body for years. Stage four, known as the tertiary stage, can occur up to 30 years after a person is infected. While rare, this can attack the heart, brain and nervous system, causing blindness or even death.

The most common way of testing for syphilis is through a simple blood test, while some medical providers may also swab for fluid from a syphilitic sore.

In a word, antibiotics. These may be administered as injections or tablets. However, while antibiotics will treat the infection, they may not undo any of the damage the disease has caused the body.

Syphilis in pregnancy can be highly dangerous for the unborn child as the disease can be passed to fetuses and babies with deadly effects. In 2022, congenital syphilis caused 231 stillbirths and 51 infant deaths in the US, according to CDC data.

Rates of syphilis have been rising for years amid funding cuts to local public health agencies and transmission increases associated with more drug use and unprotected sex. The rise has been compounded by a shortage of penicillin.

The only foolproof way is to abstain from sex. However, condoms are an effective barrier against infection, providing they stop a sexual partner from coming into contact with sores.