Syphilis on the rise in Salt Lake County, high risk for women and people of color

The Salt Lake County Health Department is working to raise awareness about a new public health threat affecting our communities. In 2023, Salt Lake County had more than 350 cases of early-stage syphilis reported – the most in the county’s history and more than twice the number of cases in 2019.

One of the most concerning aspects of the recent increase is the number of women diagnosed while pregnant, which can lead to congenital syphilis in newborns. Last year, Salt Lake County diagnosed 5 newborns with congenital syphilis – the first time this has happened since 2008.

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is mostly spread during sexual contact with an infected partner. It can also be spread through injection drug use when sharing needles with an infected partner. The most common treatment for syphilis is a shot of penicillin, though there are other treatments for people who are allergic to penicillin. After just one treatment, someone with syphilis is considered cured, though you can be treated for syphilis and then catch it again immediately if your partner is not also treated.

The most common initial symptoms of syphilis include skin conditions that are unusual for you, such as sores, rash, or unusual hair loss. Additional symptoms may include swelling in the lymph nodes in the genital area, and vision or hearing loss. When babies are born with congenital syphilis, they may experience a list of health issues that can lead to long-term problems or even death.

Controlling syphilis in our community will require raising awareness, fast and convenient testing and treatment, and making sure a patient’s sexual and/or needle sharing partners also get treated quickly.

Hispanic women and other women of color are catching syphilis more often than expected. Many of the pregnant women in Salt Lake County who were diagnosed with syphilis last year had arrived recently from countries in Central and South America. Mexico, Venezuela, and Colombia have very high rates of syphilis infection and are unable to provide adequate testing and treatment. Several patients had not been able to access healthcare or prenatal care and did not know they were infected with syphilis.

The Salt Lake County Health Department recommends that all women ask their doctors to be tested for syphilis at their annual visit and, if they are pregnant, ask their doctors to follow CDC guidelines for testing. All pregnant women should be tested for syphilis during the first trimester of their pregnancy, and then again during the third trimester.

The public health system is here to provide resources and services to your community! If you have questions about syphilis or other public health topics, or if we can assist you in any way, please contact us at 385-468-4242.