More than 2.3million Americans are living with sexually transmitted diseases, with some rates now spiralling so high it has even been declared a nationwide epidemic by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 

According to a 2023 report produced by the agency using the most up to date information available, a staggering 2,306,776 Americans were reportedly infected with the three main notifiable STDs: Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia and Syphilis

Among these cases, Chlamydia in particular was the most prevalent, with a whopping 1,648,568 people infected, closely followed in turn by Gonorrhoea with 601,319.

Syphilis also saw a surprising resurgence, with congenital syphilis numbers in particular causing concern in states such as Mississippi, where the rate had spiralled so wildly out of control the rate of infection had jumped by 1000%. 

However, despite worrying numbers of the condition rising year on year, the infection, which is passed from mother to child in utero, did see a slow down compared to previous years, with an increase of just 3% from 2022 compared to 30% increases in years prior.

What is Syphilis?

Syphilis, like other sexually transmitted diseases, is spread through bacteria upon contact with infected fluids; this usually happening through sex or various sex acts, reports WLBT. 

With most STDs, the symptoms can make themselves known in a plethora of ways, including painful sores, a burning sensation, or a type of discharge.

Yet one of the most frustrating things about Syphilis  is that it doesn’t always show symptoms, or if they do occur, they may be minor so not easily detected in time to stop it from being spread.

Lifting the lid on what it means for Mississipi and the wider US, Kayla Stover, professor and vice chair of pharmacy practice at the University of Mississippi explained: “It is a nationwide epidemic. In Mississippi, we’ve seen an 80% increase in overall cases and a 1,000% increase in congenital syphilis, which is when the disease is passed from mother to baby.”

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is spread by an infected person to another person during sexual activity, but thankfully it is preventable, treatable and curable. 

Why are STDs on the rise in the US?

While the exact cause of the spike in cases has yet to be identified, it may include lack of education concerning safe sex practices, teens engaging in sexual activity at younger ages, lack of prenatal care and a possible lack of being able to spot the symptoms. 

“The first stage of syphilis starts with a lesion in a person’s mouth or genital area that starts a couple of weeks after exposure,” Stover said. “It is often painless, can disappear and, therefore, can go unnoticed.

“If untreated, a rash may appear on a person’s extremities – particularly the palms of the hands and soles of the feet – 8 to 12 weeks after exposure. If still untreated, it may simply go away or lay dormant with possibility of reappearing, causing long-term damage.”

If left untreated, the condition can cause blindness, heart damage and even mental health problems. It can also cause birth defects in pregnant women, with their infants potentially being born premature and suffering from  blindness, developmental delays, skeletal deformities or even death.

Yet despite the alarming list of potential side effects, the condition can easily be cured with a simple course of antibiotics, meaning experts are now more keen than ever for people to get tested and treated in order to stop the infection from spreading any quicker.