The Texas Department of State Health Services announced last week that it is putting a statewide focus on congenital syphilis.
Congenital syphilis cases rose from 166 in 2017 to 922 in 2022, which tracked with an increase in syphilis among adults, according to a press release. Texas accounted for 25% of the congenital syphilis cases in the U.S. in 2022 compared with roughly 10% of total births.
“These are heartbreaking statistics,” said DSHS commissioner Dr. Jennifer Shuford. “They become even more heartbreaking when you consider that congenital syphilis is preventable when moms with syphilis receive timely testing and treatment either before or early during pregnancy.”
Shuford has written to healthcare professionals and asked for their help to ensure that all pregnant women are tested for syphilis three times during pregnancy: at the first prenatal examination, during the third-trimester visit, and at delivery, in accordance with state law.
In the letter, Shuford writes, “The number of [congenital syphilis] cases in Texas increased more than four-fold over five years, from 166 cases in 2017 to 922 cases in 2022, mirroring the increase seen in early syphilis cases among women of child-bearing age.”
“This issue is a priority for me, for DSHS, and for public health in Texas, and we need your help to turn the tide and protect some of our most vulnerable Texans,” she said.
Fox 4 KDFW reports on the Department’s efforts to combat the rising numbers. Here’s the start of the story:
The number of Texas babies born with the sexually transmitted disease syphilis is on the rise.
The state health department says the numbers over the last five years are concerning.
“Between 2017 and 2022 there was a 400% increase in the number of cases of congenital syphilis. We locally have definitely seen those same significant increases in numbers, and it’s also been seen nationally,” said Dr. Philip Huang with Dallas County Health and Human Services.
A summit was held Friday in Houston about congenital syphilis, babies born with the sexually-transmitted disease.
“The spike in congenital syphilis is probably a multi-fold problem. One is syphilis had almost completely gone away and had become much more rare, and so because of that, a lot of physicians and providers have not been testing or testing for it as much,” said Dr. Emma Dishner, with the Texas Center for Infectious Disease Associates.
State law changed in 2019, requiring three tests for syphilis during pregnancy: the first pre-natal visit, during third trimester and at delivery.
Women who are not being told about the testing should ask about it and new technology made testing better.