Geographical CDC data shows cases of syphilis, once thought to be a sexual infection of the past, have grown more than seven-fold in the last decade.
The South and the West shared the highest rates of congenital syphilis cases.
From the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on the bacterial infection: "If untreated, syphilis can seriously damage the heart and brain and can cause blindness, deafness, and paralysis. When transmitted during pregnancy, it can cause miscarriage, lifelong medical issues, and infant death."
As a reminder, the CDC says, "You cannot get syphilis through casual contact with objects," like doorknobs, sharing clothes or eating utensils.
Guest
-Arlene C. Se帽a is a doctor, a Professor of Medicine at U-N-C鈥檚 Medical School, and a professor of Epidemiology at the Gillings School of Public Health. She is also a consultant for the CDC Sexually Transmitted Disease(s) Treatment Guidelines.
Additional data referenced in this segment:
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