The Houston Health Department issued a news release on Thursday, announcing a syphilis outbreak that has seen a staggering surge of 128% in infections among women in the city. Furthermore, cases of congenital syphilis in Houston and the surrounding Harris County area have increased ninefold since 2019.
Infections have risen by 57% from 2019 to 2022, with 2,905 new cases reported in 2022 compared to 1,845 in 2019, according to the department. Among women, the number of cases soared to 674 in 2022 from 295 in 2019. The latest available statistics reveal 151 cases of congenital syphilis in 2021, a significant spike compared to just 16 cases in 2016.
Congenital syphilis occurs when a pregnant person passes the bacterial infection to their baby in the womb. If left untreated, it can result in stillbirth or cause damage to the baby’s organs or bones.
According to the news release, pregnant women should be tested for syphilis during their initial prenatal visit, in the third trimester, and at delivery.
Also read: Study Finds Higher Risk of Covid-19 Infections in Individuals with Blood Group A
To combat the outbreak, the health department is waiving all clinical fees for sexually transmitted infections at its health centers. It also plans to expand the use of its HIV/STD mobile clinic to increase the number of community screening sites, particularly in areas identified as hot spots based on disease monitoring and case management data.
The detailed news can be read here: cnn.com
