COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Health officials in central Ohio are warning of an increase in syphilis cases, a trend that mirrors the rise in infections nationwide.
The Columbus Department of Public Health is raising awareness about the local outbreak and encouraging those at risk to seek testing and treatment as appropriate. The warning comes after infectious syphilis infection rates increased by 9% nationwide in 2022, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report on sexually transmitted infections in adults.
The total number of syphilis infections will exceed 207,000 in 2022, the highest in the United States since 1950, data shows. The bacterial disease continues to disproportionately affect gay and bisexual men, but it is also spreading to heterosexual men and women, according to the CDC.
About 59,000 of the infections in 2022 were related to syphilis, the most contagious disease. About a quarter of them were women and about a quarter were heterosexual men. Still, nearly 80% of people with syphilis have sex with other men, and half of those diagnosed with syphilis live with HIV.
The number of syphilis infections in Ohio will reach 5,306 in 2022, a significant increase from 1,923 in 2018, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Since then, the number of cases in the state has steadily increased, from 2,016 in 2019 to 2,446 in 2020 and 3,970 in 2021.
Columbus will account for 1,414 of Ohio's cases in 2022, up from 391 in 2018, according to state health department data. The capital had 432 cases in 2019, 542 in 2020 and 1,104 in 2021.
Who should get tested?
According to CPH, everyone who has sex should be tested for sexually transmitted infections at least once a year. People at high risk should consider adding the following syphilis screening to their 3- to 6-month HIV testing schedule.
- Women during pregnancy, in the first and third trimester and during childbirth.
- Men who have sex with men.
- Transgender women having unprotected sex.
- People who have had sex with an HIV-positive person.
- People who share equipment when injecting steroids, hormones, silicones, and drugs.
- People who have sex for a living or trade sex for drugs.
- People who have been diagnosed with syphilis within the past 12 months.
- People who have sexual partners who engage in the acts on this list.
According to the CPH, syphilis is transmitted when people come into direct contact with syphilis sores during anal, vaginal, or oral sex. Early signs of infection may be mild. It is usually a small, painless sore or rash that does not itch and is often overlooked. Health officials said this is why it's a good idea to use protective equipment such as condoms and dental dams, in addition to getting tested regularly.
Where can I get tested?
A simple blood test can quickly detect syphilis and can also be tested during routine HIV testing. Syphilis testing is available for a nominal fee or free at the following locations:
- Columbus Department of Public Health (240 Parsons Avenue)
- Mondays from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Tuesdays 10am to 5:45pm
- Wednesday 8am to 11:15am
- Thursdays 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Friday 8am to 3:45pm
- AIDS Healthcare Foundation (815 W. Broad St.)
- Monday from 5pm to 7pm
- Thursdays from 1pm to 5pm
- AIDS Resource Center Ohio 4400 N. High St.
- FACES Program at Nationwide Children's Hospital with 700 Pediatric Physicians
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Thursdays 8am to 6pm
- GCMS, 1780 E. Broad St.
- Out of the Closet, 1230 N. High St.
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2pm to 7pm
- Stonewall Columbus, 1160 N. High St.
According to CPH, syphilis can be cured with appropriate antibiotics. Still, treatment does not reverse the severe damage that syphilis causes to the heart, brain, and nervous system. Additionally, once you have contracted syphilis, it does not prevent you from getting it again, so health authorities recommend regular testing as part of your health care plan.
