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Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(107,986 posts) Tue Jan 30, 2024, 09:23 PM Jan 30

The US hasn't seen syphilis numbers this high since 1950. Other STD rates are down or flat

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. syphilis epidemic isn’t abating, with the rate of infectious cases rising 9% in 2022, according to a new federal government report on sexually transmitted diseases in adults.

-snip-

It’s not clear why syphilis rose 9% while gonorrhea dropped 9%, officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, adding that it’s too soon to know whether a new downward trend is emerging for the latter.

They are most focused on syphilis, which is less common than gonorrhea or chlamydia but considered more dangerous. Total cases surpassed 207,000 in 2022, the highest count in the United States since 1950, according to data released Tuesday.

And while it continues to have a disproportionate impact on gay and bisexual men, it is expanding in heterosexual men and women, and increasingly affecting newborns, too, CDC officials said.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/syphilis-gonorrhea-std-sexually-transmitted-cdc-17c748701b8da8024f06869460b33961

10 replies

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The US hasn't seen syphilis numbers this high since 1950. Other STD rates are down or flat (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Jan 30 OP

I can't believe TFG gets around that much! AZSkiffyGeek Jan 30 #1

All right, I'm just going to YouTube and watching some videos at this point underpants Jan 30 #2

is this related to the maga take on vaccines? RainCaster Jan 30 #3

MAGAs will probably blame it on sex ed Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Jan 30 #6

Republican orgies responsible for syphilis epidemic! MyMission Jan 30 #4

Well, now it has a poster child 😉 nt cactusfractal Jan 30 #5

I remember having to go to the free clinic twice to get penicillin for drippy dick ripcord Jan 30 #7

⚠️Adult Content Warning⚠️ Differential Dx of STI/STDs littlemissmartypants Jan 31 #10

Conservative are against condoms, sex ed, and planned parenthood IronLionZion Jan 30 #8

Several factors suggested to play a role limbicnuminousity Jan 30 #9

AZSkiffyGeek

(11,023 posts)

1. I can't believe TFG gets around that much!

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Original post)

Tue Jan 30, 2024, 09:34 PM

Jan 30

underpants

(182,803 posts)

2. All right, I'm just going to YouTube and watching some videos at this point

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Original post)

Tue Jan 30, 2024, 09:35 PM

Jan 30

RainCaster

(10,874 posts)

3. is this related to the maga take on vaccines?

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Original post)

Tue Jan 30, 2024, 09:44 PM

Jan 30

Asking for a friend.

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(107,986 posts)

6. MAGAs will probably blame it on sex ed

Reply to RainCaster (Reply #3)

Tue Jan 30, 2024, 09:57 PM

Jan 30

MyMission

(1,850 posts)

4. Republican orgies responsible for syphilis epidemic!

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Original post)

Tue Jan 30, 2024, 09:54 PM

Jan 30

Super spreader events, such as orgies reported throughout the GOPQ, have been found to be responsible for the increase of people with syphilis (not to mention covid). Oh wait! Maybe the increase of syphilis is caused by the covid vaccine!?!?! Sarcasm! I couldn't help myself with that one.

I hope CDC can figure out how it's spreading, and public health departments can get it under control. I'm half serious about the GOPQ orgies

cactusfractal

(496 posts)

5. Well, now it has a poster child 😉 nt

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Original post)

Tue Jan 30, 2024, 09:56 PM

Jan 30

ripcord

(5,399 posts)

7. I remember having to go to the free clinic twice to get penicillin for drippy dick

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Original post)

Tue Jan 30, 2024, 11:11 PM

Jan 30

That's what we called syphillis back in the early 80s.

littlemissmartypants

(22,656 posts)

10. ⚠️Adult Content Warning⚠️ Differential Dx of STI/STDs

Reply to ripcord (Reply #7)

Wed Jan 31, 2024, 12:04 PM

Jan 31

What you were being treated for was most likely not syphilis but gonorrhea and maybe even Chlamydia.

Symptoms of syphilis differ by stage:

Primary stage—Syphilis first appears as a painless chancre. This sore goes away without treatment in 3 to 6 weeks.

Secondary stage—If syphilis is not treated, the next stage begins as the chancre is healing or several weeks after the chancre has disappeared, when a rash may appear. The rash usually appears on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands. Flat warts may be seen on the vulva. There may be flu-like symptoms.

Latent infection—In some people, the rash and other symptoms may go away in a few weeks or months, but that does not mean the infection is gone. It still is in the body. This is called latent infection.

How do I know if I have gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea often has no symptoms, but it can cause serious health problems, even without symptoms.
Snip...

Men who do have symptoms may have:

●A burning sensation when peeing;
●A white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis; and
●Painful or swollen testicles (although this is less common).

Rectal infections may either cause no symptoms or cause symptoms in both men and women that may include:

●Discharge;
●Anal itching;
●Soreness;
●Bleeding; and
●Painful bowel movements.
https://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/stdfact-gonorrhea.htm

For reference:
What are the symptoms* of gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea often causes no symptoms or only very mild symptoms. Women with gonorrhea may think they have a minor urinary tract or vaginal infection. Symptoms include

●yellow vaginal discharge
●painful or frequent urination
●vaginal bleeding between periods
●rectal bleeding, discharge, or pain

*In women

https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/chlamydia-gonorrhea-and-syphilis

Chlamydia
https://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/

IronLionZion

(45,442 posts)

8. Conservative are against condoms, sex ed, and planned parenthood

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Original post)

Tue Jan 30, 2024, 11:27 PM

Jan 30

Planned parenthood and similar clinics provide STD testing and condoms.

limbicnuminousity

(1,402 posts)

9. Several factors suggested to play a role

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Original post)

Tue Jan 30, 2024, 11:31 PM

Jan 30

It looks like it's a mix of:

1) Fewer people having protected sex (HIV no longer the threat it was);
2) Primarily occurring in men who have sex with men demographic;
3) increased promiscuity through dating apps;
4) sexual "networking";
5) increased drug use.

This doesn't explain why gonorrhea rates would decline so there's a piece to the puzzle missing.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6798162/
Resurgence of Syphilis in the United States: An Assessment of Contributing Factors

In the last decade, there has been a marked resurgence of syphilis in the United States despite the availability of effective treatments and previously reliable prevention strategies. The majority of cases are among the population of men who have sex with men (MSM); however, there has also been a recent increase among premenopausal women, coinciding with a concerning rise of congenital cases. The resurgence of syphilis can be largely attributed to changing social and behavioral factors, especially among young MSM. The biological association of syphilis with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission and acquisition is particularly alarming because of the increased individual and healthcare burden. In addition, some individual actions and public health efforts that are meant to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV may actually lead to risk compensation that facilitates the transmission of syphilis. Untreated syphilis is associated with detrimental health outcomes; therefore, both effective prevention strategies and treatment of this systemic disease have important short-term and long-term public health implications. This article offers a review of social and behavioral factors contributing to the current resurgence and recommendations for reducing syphilis incidence through medical and public health prevention strategies.

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