LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – While Syphilis was nearly eradicated in the United States leading up to 2017, it has been making a serious comeback, doubling in the period of a few years.
What is syphilis?
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) which can be spread through unprotected sex and without treatment can lead to organ failure and death. Pregnant women with syphilis can also transmit it to their child.
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Cases of the STD in Michigan have doubled between 2017 to 2022, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), which found Detroit to be a hotspot and nearly tripled its cases in the same period.
“Without proper treatment, early syphilis symptoms will fade but the infection remains in the body and can cause irreparable damage,” the MDHHS said.
There is a primary and second stage, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
“A single chancre marks the onset of the primary (first) stage of syphilis, but there may be multiple sources,” according to the CDC. “It appears at the location where syphilis enters the body.”
If untreated, the primary can progress to the secondary stage which is marked by “skin rashes and/or mucous membrane lesions” and sores around the body where the disease entered.
Syphilis can manifest itself in three main forms at any of the stages including neurosyphilis, ocular syphilis, and otosyphilis. In the first form, individuals can experience severe headaches, muscle weakness, and changes to mental state. Ocular Syphilis can result in eye pain or redness and changes in vision of blindness according to the MDHHS. Otosyphilis on the other hand can affect hearing and result in ringing or buzzing in the ear, as well as dizziness or vertigo.
Who is most affected by syphilis?
Data from MDHHS indicates that men make up 79% of all primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis diagnoses, with black men having a 10.2 times higher rate of diagnosis compared to white men.
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The MDHHS also found that while gay and bisexual men make up an estimated 6% of the population, they represent 38% of all P&S Syphilis diagnoses.
“There is a huge racial and ethnic disparity, and when we look at who’s being impacted by syphilis, we’re seeing that this is predominantly happening in African American communities,” said Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, according to the Detroit News. “We’re doing a lot of outreach and education to health care providers about the importance of syphilis testing and treatment.”
In 2022, the state health department recorded 972 diagnoses of P&S syphilis in the state, while in 2017 there were only 480 cases recorded.
What are treatment options?
The CDC prescribes using certain types of penicillin, depending on the stage and type of the disease.
“Selection of the appropriate penicillin preparation is important to properly treat and cure syphilis,” according to the CDC, some combinations do not provide adequate doses of penicillin. “Combinations of some penicillin preparations are not appropriate replacements for benzathine penicillin.”
For more on STI Diagnoses and Trends from the MDHHS, see here.
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