- The CDC reports that cases of congenital syphilis cases in the U.S. are up 700%.
- The disease occurs when a pregnant person with syphilis passes the bacteria to their fetus.
- Congenital syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum, a bacteria that can be transmitted from a pregnant person to their baby, even if that person has received treatment.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) for U.S. adults have declined in the past year, but cases of
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Meanwhile, combined rates of STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis have decreased by 9% from 2023 to 2024.
Gonorrhea cases have declined for a third consecutive year, while chlamydia and primary and secondary syphilis cases are down for a second consecutive year.
By comparison, the report highlights that there were over 2.2 million reported STI cases in 2024, which, compared to a decade ago, is still 13% higher overall. However, congenital syphilis cases are nearly 700% higher.
Another
Congenital syphilis occurs when a pregnant person infected with syphilis passes the bacteria to their fetus. While many mothers and infants may be asymptomatic, some will develop serious health issues, including deformed bones, severe anemia, and brain and nerve problems.
“Cases have been increasing for some years in the US and represent a failure to identify and treat syphilis cases in pregnant women — something that is done in routine prenatal care. The cases also reflect general increases in syphilis more generally, as well,” Amesh Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security and an infectious disease expert, told Healthline in an earlier interview.
Congenital syphilis is caused by a bacteria called Treponema pallidum, which can be transmitted from a pregnant person to their baby, even if the parent has received treatment.
A person may
According to the
- miscarriage
- stillbirth
- premature delivery
- low birth weight
- increased risk of infant death soon after birth
Infants who are born with congenital syphilis can face a range of health issues, according to the CDC. This includes:
- meningitis
- jaundice
- deformed bones
- severe anemia
- enlarged liver and spleen
McDonald pointed out that from 2015 to 2019, the “rates of primary and secondary syphilis increased more than 170% in reproductive-age women.”
Signs of syphilis in adults may include:
- sores
- rashes
- fever
- weight loss
- muscle aches
- fatigue
In rare cases, people can develop tertiary syphilis, where the disease affects the heart, blood vessels, and brain. This stage can happen 10 to 30 years after contracting the disease. The damage to internal organs can be fatal.
Without treatment, syphilis can reach the latent stage, where no symptoms are visible, but the disease is still present. If syphilis is untreated, it can cause major issues to other organs such as the brain, eye, and nervous system.
The disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics.
Congenital syphilis is easily detected and treated, but without public health services, the infection can go undetected and untreated.
The CDC notes the increase in cases is a reflection of health system failures. The 2023 report shows that
Other research suggests that decreased funding for sexual health services has contributed to the rise in cases.
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According to those findings, the majority of women with syphilis experienced social determinants of health that prevented them from easily accessing healthcare, such as experiencing homelessness or lacking health insurance.
A study from Indiana similarly found that social determinants of health, such as substance use and incarceration, contributed to congenital syphilis cases.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) — including syphilis but also chlamydia and gonorrhea — have also increased significantly over the past decade.
Between 2015 and 2019, there was a nearly
Infectious disease specialists say COVID-19 may have played a role in increasing congenital syphilis cases. Many people delayed routine healthcare services like STI screenings.
“The quickest way for people to spread STIs is to not know that they have one, Casey Pinto, PhD, MPH, an assistant professor of public health sciences at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, said in a 2021 press release.
“The inability to detect asymptomatic cases could have negative repercussions for years to come.”
Pinto was part of a team that published a study in 2021 that found STI screenings for men decreased by 63% and 59% for women in the early months of the pandemic.
“Reduced focus on other infectious diseases has led to a rise [in] cases,” Dawn Sokol, MD, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist with Ochsner Hospital for Children, told Healthline.
“The timing and follow-up of mother’s infection are important in determining the risk to the newborn,” Sokol said.
All pregnant people are recommended to be screened for syphilis during their first prenatal medical visit. If they test positive, their baby is then tested as well.
Many babies who contract the infection are
“When other symptoms are found they can include an enlarged liver or spleen, enlarged lymph nodes, runny nose, and jaundice,” said Sokol.
The CDC
Babies who are diagnosed with congenital syphilis will need to undergo lab studies to see how the disease has affected their health.
Treatment options include a single injection of penicillin or a 10-day course of IV therapy, according to Sokol.
In some cases, the damage may be permanent, said Adalja.
The only way to prevent congenital syphilis is to practice