Syphilis cases in Salt Lake County rise an “alarming” 800% in four years

The number of syphilis cases in one Utah county has increased 800 percent in just four years, and the number is expected to continue to rise.

State health officials have warned that sexually transmitted diseases are increasing at an “alarming” rate in Salt Lake County, Utah, especially among women of childbearing age.

This increases the risk of congenital syphilis in newborns, which increases nearly tenfold in states like Mississippi.

The condition increases a child’s risk of developing bone damage, anemia, jaundice, nerve damage and meningitis.

Almost half of Salt Lake County’s population is Mormon. The community strongly discourages the use of contraceptives such as condoms, which have been proven to prevent syphilis

The increase is consistent with national data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which shows that sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis and gonorrhea are increasing each year.

The increase may be due to a lack of access to contraceptives proven to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, such as condoms, which discourages the state’s largely religious population.

About 60 percent of Utah residents are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church. Almost half of the residents of Salt Lake County identify as Mormon.

According to government health data, the number of syphilis cases in women increased by 800 percent from 2018 to 2022, from three to 27 cases. Experts expect this number to double this year.

In 89 percent of cases, women aged 15 to 44 were affected.

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is usually spread through sex with an infected person.

Spread occurs through close contact with an infected wound, which usually occurs during vaginal, oral or anal sex.

Infected pregnant women can pass the sexually transmitted disease to their unborn child, which can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.

Symptoms of syphilis may not always be obvious at first and may eventually disappear

Syphilis can also be transmitted by sharing needles with an infected person.

Symptoms are not always clear and may eventually disappear. These include small or painless sores on the genitals, a patchy red rash on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet, skin growths around a woman’s vulva or anus, white spots in the mouth, fatigue, headache, fever and swollen lymph nodes.

Patients develop ulcers two to twelve weeks after exposure. These disappear, but one to six months later a rash appears that covers the whole body.

Patients who do not seek treatment for their disease can also develop tertiary syphilis, a serious disease that severely damages vital organs – including the heart and brain.

If left untreated, syphilis can spread to the brain or other parts of the body, causing disability or death.

The disease is diagnosed through a blood test and can be treated with an antibiotic given by injection

Treatment usually consists of an antibiotic injection in the buttocks or a course of tablets.

People can reduce their risk by using condoms during sex, using a dental dam (plastic square) during oral sex, and avoiding sex toys.

In most cases, women of childbearing age are at greater risk for congenital syphilis, which occurs when an infected mother passes the sexually transmitted disease to her baby during pregnancy.

CDC figures show that 3,761 babies were born with the disease in the US in 2022, up from 335 in 2012.