CDC warns of increase in syphilis in newborn babies

Cases of congenital syphilis increased by 755% from 2012-2021 in the country, according to a report published this Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In 2022 there was a 32% increase compared to the previous year when more than 3,700 cases were reported, compared to 2,855 in 2021 and 335 in 2012. " Congenital syphilis rates are rapidly increasing in the United States and are at the highest level in at least 30 years," the agency said.

"Syphilis during pregnancy can lead to stillbirth, miscarriage, infant death, and maternal and infant morbidity, which are preventable through appropriate screening and treatment," the CDC explained.

"A failure of the U.S. health system"

The CDC explained that one of the main reasons why there has been such an increase is due to the lack of tests and treatments, something it described as a failure in the U.S. health system. Additionally, the report highlighted that in 2022, there were 231 fetal deaths and 51 infant deaths.

"In 2022, a total of 3,761 cases of congenital syphilis in the United States were reported to CDC, including 231 (6%) stillbirths and 51 (1%) infant deaths. Lack of timely testing and adequate treatment during pregnancy contributed to 88% of cases of congenital syphilis. Testing and treatment gaps were present in the majority of cases across all races, ethnicities, and U.S. Census Bureau regions," the agency explained.

The report indicated that among pregnancies that resulted in congenital syphilis, no prenatal care was documented in 1,426 cases (37.9%). Of the 2,179 cases in which a timely test was obtained during pregnancy, no prenatal control was documented in 445 (20.4%).