(Image courtesy of Seattle-King County Public Health)
Health officials are sounding the alarm as a disease that can cause serious problems, especially for pregnant women, has spiked in the past two years.
The case numbers for syphilis began to rise in men who have sex with men shortly after effective treatment for HIV became available, but it’s been on a rapid rise among heterosexuals, especially women, as well as minority communities, drug users, homeless people and even in jails, and it’s happening in counties across the state. In addition to the rash syphilis causes, if left untreated, it can cause serious heart or brain problems. In pregnant women, it often leads to premature births and has lead to stillbirths in both King and Pierce Counties.
Doctor Matthew Golden, director of the University of Washington’s Center for AIDS and Sexually-Transmitted Disease told King County’s Board of Health that syphilis is bacterial, so easily treated with antibiotics, but Golden says, “The high cost of Benzathine Penicillin, which is now approximately $400 per dose is a problem, and in some instances has discouraged community providers from providing the treatment because their compensation is less than the cost of obtaining the drug.”
Golden says funding for sexually-transmitted infection testing, clinics and treatment falls woefully short, so much more is needed, and health officials say syphilis is easier and cheaper to prevent. Because it’s preventable, the director of Seattle-King County Public Health says the number of cases should be zero.
You can find more in the health alerts from King County and Pierce County.