The resurgence of sexually transmitted infections (IST) worries American health authorities. They therefore called on Tuesday for general mobilization in the face of the increase in cases of syphilis among newborns, which have increased by more than eleven in ten years.
In 2022, 3,761 babies will be born with syphilis in UNITED STATES compared to 335 in 2012, according to new data from the Centers for Prevention and Control of diseases (CDC), the main federal health agency in the United States. However, 9 out of 10 cases could have been avoided thanks to screening and treatment taken on time during pregnancy, according to the agency.
A flight “that breaks the heart”
Syphilis is developed by infants when the mother herself is infected and left untreated. In a pregnant woman, the infection can lead to miscarriages, death of the newborn, or long-term complications for the baby, such as loss of vision or hearing, or even bone malformations. .
“The congenital syphilis crisis in the United States has escalated to a heartbreaking level,” said Debra Houry, a senior CDC official. “The epidemic of sexually transmitted infections continues to intensify in our country,” she added. Syphilis cases are increasing “in all age groups, including women of childbearing age and their sexual partners.” »
Black, Native American or Hispanic babies were also up to eight times more likely to be born with syphilis than babies with white mothers in 2021. A finding that the CDC attributes to “decades of deeply rooted social determinants,” creating more barriers to access to care.
CDC wants more screenings
According to health authorities, the lack of testing and treatment is linked to a combination of individual and systemic factors. “Barriers may include a lack of health coverage, living in a medical or gynecological care desert, difficulty accessing transportation, difficulties with drug use, unstable housing, poverty and racism », Listed Laura Bachmann, responsible for the CDC branch dedicated to STI prevention.
The agency therefore calls on health professionals to use every opportunity to screen pregnant women, including when they are seen by emergency services or programs related to drug use. The CDC also recommends initiating treatment upon obtaining a positive rapid test in a pregnant woman, even if it then requires confirmation.