Health officials are reporting a syphilis outbreak in Houston, Texas. According to a recent release by the Houston Health Department, there's been a 128 percent increase in cases among women. Recent data shows there were 674 cases in 2022 compared to 295 cases in 2019. For both males and females, new infections rose 57 percent between 2019 and 2022.
Congenital syphilis, in which a mother with untreated syphilis passes the infection to her baby, is also on the rise in Houston. In 2016, there were only 16 reported cases. In 2021, that number jumped to 151 cases. Congenital syphilis can be prevented, but requires testing a pregnant woman for syphilis right away. If tested positive, they can be treated with antibiotics. However, if left untreated, syphilis in pregnancy can cause miscarriage or stillbirth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 40 percent of babies born to women with untreated syphilis can die from the infection as a newborn or be stillborn.
