Increase in Syphilis Worries State Health Officials
March 21, 2005
An increase in syphilis cases over the past two years has prompted state health officials to remind Montanans of the need to educate themselves about sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs.
Five syphilis cases have been reported to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) since the beginning of the year, according to Laurie Kops, manager of the department's STD program. She said no syphilis cases were reported in the state from 1999 through 2003, and four were reported in 2004.
"Unfortunately, syphilis has been making a comeback," Kops said. "This is true across the nation as well as in Montana."
This year's cases have been scattered across the state. All five individuals have been treated for the disease, and efforts are under way to identify and treat their partners, Kops said.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of reported syphilis cases nationwide rose 12.4 percent between 2001 and 2002. However, rates in women decreased. Overall, the rate in men was 3.5 times that in women.
Syphilis is caused by a bacterium that can be transmitted only during direct sexual contact. It cannot be spread through contact with toilet seats, swimming pools, hot tubs, bath tubs, shared clothing, or eating utensils. The disease is easily treated in its early stages with one or more injections of antibiotics.
Left untreated, syphilis can cause organ damage, nerve damage, blindness, and death. Cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea have also increased in the past five years, Kops said.
"April is STD Awareness Month," she added. "This is a good time to get educated about the issues surrounding STDs. It's also a good time for Montanans to consider whether they should get tested for these diseases, to protect both themselves and the people they love."
For more information about STDs, contact your personal physician or local health department or visit the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov and click on Diseases & Conditions.
Page last updated: 06/15/2006
