Alaska’s syphilis outbreak is growing, with cases that more than doubled in 2019 to 2018. The Alaska Department of Health an Social Services HIV / STD Program said that this is the largest number of syphilis cases they have reported in a single year.
Overall, combined rates of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia are at all-time highs, both in Alaska and the nation. Nationally, syphilis rates have increased almost every year since 2001. Sexually transmitted disease can have severe health consequences.
The Alaska Section of Epidemiology Bulletin issued on Thursday emphasizes the drivers for the increase and notes several contributing factors, such as more infection among heterosexual men and women, and some of those infected reporting illicit drug use and homelessness. The increase in case reports among women raises the risk that a mother could pass the infection on to her baby during pregnancy. The Bulletin details the syphilis outbreak in Alaska and recommendations for care.
The current syphilis outbreak in Alaska was first declared in 2018. During 2018, 114 cases of syphilis were reported to the Alaska Section of Epidemiology. In 2019, that number jumped to 242 cases, a 112% increase in cases in a single year. 86% of the cases were newly acquired and considered “infectious.” When left untreated, syphilis can affect the heart, brain and other organs in the body.
Many factors contribute to syphilis transmission, including methamphetamine and/or heroin use (33% of patients reported use), a history of incarceration within 12 months (28%), and homelessness (24%).