Houston is currently suffering from a syphilis epidemic. The Houston Health Department (HHD) said in a press release on Thursday that the number of female cases had risen to 128% across Houston and Harris County.
Cases of congenital syphilis have also increased dramatically, writes HHD. release.
“It is very important that pregnant women get prenatal care and syphilis testing to protect themselves from infections,” HHD official Marlene McNeice Ward said in a release.
“Pregnant women should be tested for syphilis three times during pregnancy,” Ward said, stressing that the disease can be fatal for infants.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there was “no sign of slowing down” in the sexually transmitted disease pandemic.https://t.co/CrTkoHezDT
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) July 14, 2023
According to HHD, the number of new cases of syphilis increased from 1,845 in 2019 to 2,905 in 2022, and the number of female cases increased from 295 to 674 over the same period.
The announcement continued that antibiotics could treat syphilis, but without treatment people would be vulnerable to the second stage of the disease. (Related: Measles outbreak hits dozens of children, Ohio officials ask CDC for help)
Symptoms of secondary-stage syphilis may include skin rash, fever, patchy hair loss, headache, swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, sore throat, muscle aches, and fatigue, according to the HHD.
The outbreak response includes stepping up targeted disease screening and working with community partners. The HHD Health Center will be exempt from paying for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the agency said in a release.
