Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that syphilis infections are on the rise in the United States, jumping 15 percent from 2013 to 2014. A new CDC report, released Sept. 22, analyzes the infection's impact on men who have sex with men (MSM) on a state-by-state basis.
The report showed that Illinois, in 2015, had about 311.9 cases per 100,000 persons, slightly higher than the national MSM rate of 309 cases per 100,000 persons.
The data was released by the CDC at the STD Prevention Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The report, which aggregated data made available from 44 states, said that infection rates were especially high in southern and western states. According to a CDC press release, the rates were developed using preliminary 2015 national syphilis case report data and 2014 population estimates of the number of adult MSM by state.
Another CDC report indicated that more MSM were being screened for syphilis. In 2014, about 49 percent of respondents had been screened for the infection; that was up from 37 percent in 2008. But researchers say that not enough individuals at risk are being screened.
Chad Hendry, director of HIV/STI prevention at Howard Brown Health, said that Howard Brown saw about 415 cases of syphilis in 2014, then 635 in 2015.
"Syphilis is referred to as 'the great imitator,'" Hendry said, noting that its symptoms can mirror those of other conditions. "It's very easy to get infected. The main mode of transmission is skin-to-skin, through sores or lesions on your genitalia. Condoms do protect you in some cases, but the best protection is to get tested regularly every three to six months."
The infection is easily treated, and is usually cleared up with a series of injections, he added.
"I always implore with people to get tested and make it a regular part of their health screenings," Hendry said.