COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Health officials in Central Ohio are cautioning the public about a surge in syphilis cases, reflecting a similar increase in infections nationwide.
Columbus Public Health is working to raise awareness about the local outbreak and urging individuals at risk to get tested and seek treatment as needed. This comes amid a 9% increase in infectious syphilis cases nationwide in 2022, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recent data on sexually transmitted diseases in adults.
Total syphilis cases exceeded 207,000 in 2022, the highest number in the United States since 1950, according to the CDC. Although the bacterial disease primarily affects gay and bisexual men, it is now spreading among heterosexual men and women, the CDC stated.
About 59,000 of the 2022 cases were of the most infectious forms of syphilis. Among these, around a quarter affected women and nearly a quarter affected heterosexual men. Nonetheless, nearly 80% of men with syphilis have sex with other men, and half of those diagnosed with syphilis are living with HIV.
In Ohio, syphilis cases soared to 5,306 in 2022, a substantial rise from 1,923 cases in 2018, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The number of cases has continued to climb steadily, with 2,016 in 2019, 2,446 in 2020, and 3,970 in 2021.
Columbus accounted for 1,414 of Ohio’s cases in 2022, as compared to 391 in 2018, as indicated by the state’s department of health data. The capital city reported 432 cases in 2019, 542 in 2020, and 1,104 in 2021.
Who should get tested?
According to CPH, everyone who is sexually active should undergo an STI check-up at least once a year. Those at higher risk should also consider adding syphilis screening to a three to six-month HIV testing schedule, including the following:
Pregnant women, during their first and third trimesters and at delivery.
Men who have sex with men.
Transgender women who engage in unprotected sex.
Anyone who has sexual relations with an HIV-positive individual.
Individuals who share equipment while injecting steroids, hormones, silicone, or drugs.
People who engage in sexual activity for a living or exchange sex for drugs.
Those who have been diagnosed with syphilis in the past 12 months.
Anyone with a sexual partner who is engaged in the behaviors on this list.
Syphilis is transmitted through direct contact with a syphilis sore during anal, vaginal, or oral sex, as per CPH. Early symptoms of infection may be mild, such as small, painless sores or an itchless rash, which can be easily overlooked. Health officials recommend using protection, such as condoms and dental dams, in addition to getting tested regularly.
Where can I get tested?
Syphilis can be detected through a simple blood test, and can even be checked during a routine HIV test. Syphilis testing is available at minimal or no cost at the following locations:
Columbus Public Health at 240 Parsons Ave.
8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday
10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday
8 to 11:15 a.m. on Wednesday
8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday
8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Friday
AIDS Healthcare Foundation at 815 W. Broad St.
5 to 7 p.m. on Monday
1 to 5 p.m. on Thursday
AIDS Resource Center Ohio at 4400 N. High St.
FACES Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital at 700 Children’s Dr.
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday
GCMS at 1780 E. Broad St.
Out of the Closet at 1230 N. High St.
2 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday
Stonewall Columbus at 1160 N. High St.
According to CPH, syphilis can be cured with the right antibiotics. However, treatment does not reverse the serious damage syphilis can cause to the heart, brain, and nervous system. Additionally, having syphilis once does not protect against getting it again, so health officials recommend regular testing as part of one’s healthcare plan.
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