Oh the horror!
Syphilis cases are rising tremendously in America, especially among gay and bisexual men, reports the CDC.
Reuters report showed that the highest rates were among black men but a noticeable increase was also seen among white and hispanic men. The number of syphilis cases nearly doubled from 8,724 to 16,663 from year 2005 to 2013 and 91% of those cases occurred among men in 2013.
NBC news reported that over the same period of time, the annual rate increased from 2.9 to 5.3 cases per 100,000 people.
“After being on the verge of elimination in 2000 in the United States, syphilis cases have rebounded,” says the CDC report.
Researchers caution that the hike in cases among gay men is worrisome because it suggest unsafe sex practices that could also spread HIV. The CDC suggests that men who have sex with anonymous or multiple partners get screened for syphilis at least once every six month. While hardly ever fatal, the disease can cause blindness and stroke.
