The Houston Health Department warned that there has been a 128% increase in syphilis cases among women, so it has created a rapid community response plan to mitigate the problem.

According to the report, new infections increased from 1845 in 2019 to 2905 in 2022, representing a 57% increase. However, cases among women reveal that the increase was even higher, having recorded 674 cases last year compared to 295 infections in 2019.

Congenital syphilis also experienced a significant increase from 16 cases in 2016 to 151 cases in 2021 (statistics for last year are not yet available).

"It is crucial for pregnant women to seek prenatal care and syphilis testing to protect themselves from an infection that could result in the deaths of their babies. A pregnant woman needs to get tested for syphilis three times during her pregnancy," said Marlene McNeese Ward, deputy assistant director of the department's Office of HIV/STI and Viral Hepatitis.

The department takes action

Following this announcement, the Houston Health Department announced that its facilities will cancel all clinical fees for sexually transmitted diseases. He also indicated that the use of the mobile HIV/STD clinic will be expanded in an attempt to reach more people.

The report states, "The department is also working with medical providers and collaborating with community-based partners to increase awareness of the outbreak and enhance testing and treatment."

HIV risk

In the report, the department recalled that the risk of contracting HIV is higher in people with syphilis, so receiving medical care is of utmost importance.

"In most cases, syphilis goes undetected because the signs and symptoms are misinterpreted or simply unnoticed. If untreated, Treponema Pallidum, the bacterium that causes syphilis, remains in the body and begins to damage the internal organs, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones and joints," the department said.