WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - U.S. cases of newborn syphilis increased for the 12th consecutive year in 2024, with nearly 4,000 cases reported, new provisional CDC data show.
Newborn syphilis is a deadly but preventable consequence of the nation's ongoing sexually transmitted infections epidemic.
In 2024, cases of newborn syphilis were up nearly 2 percent over 2023; however, it is notably lower than double-digit increases that occurred in some recent years.
Last year, cases of newborn syphilis were nearly 700 percent up since 2015, when just 495 cases were reported.
The overall STI burden in the United States remains substantial, with more than 2.2 million cases reported in 2024, a 13 percent increase since 2015, according to the provisional data.
However, CDC says there are encouraging signs of progress.
In 2024, overall reported STIs declined 9 percent from 2023, down a third consecutive year.
Primary and secondary syphilis, the most infectious stages of syphilis, declined nearly 22 percent, down for the second consecutive year.
Gonorrhea cases declined by nearly 10 percent, down for the third consecutive year.
Chlamydia cases declined 8 percent, down for the second consecutive year, accordig to the CDC data.
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