WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Cook County commissioners warned about the rising number of cases of syphilis in Chicago and Cook County, particularly among pregnant women.
'This is not just a health care crisis, but a call to action for all of us that the consequences of this disease, particularly when passed from mother to child, are devastating yet entirely preventable,' Cook County Commissioner Monica Gordon said.
The officials noted that the number of primary and secondary syphilis cases increased 66 percent from 2020 to 2021, with about 150 cases reported annually in suburban Cook County.
To spread awareness, the county has launched two new programs - 'Syphilis Stops With Me', which focuses on Black or Hispanic women aged 18 to 44 who are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant, and 'Every Mother Every Child', a dedicated website for mothers and pregnant persons.
'When it comes to syphilis, catching it early is crucial,' County Commissioner Kevin Morrison said. 'The longer that you have a syphilis infection, the more severe the health issues and ramifications that may unfold.'
Untreated syphilis could lead to miscarriages, premature births and stillbirths. Also, babies have a high chance of contracting syphilis in the womb.
Congenital syphilis can cause heart failure, infant death, organ damage, fetal anemia, seizures, damaged vision and hearing and long-term health and developmental complications for surviving babies, Chicago Suntimes reports.
'The key is awareness. The key is prenatal care because when you go to prenatal care, and you keep up with those visits, you're going to get screened for this. You're going to get treated,' said Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, the chief operating officer for the county health department.
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